Harraga - Those Who Burn Their Lives

Imad, Nourdine, Walid and Hamza live in a stone cave under a lighthouse in Melilla. Every night, the Moroccan teenagers break into the nearby port. There, they try to climb unnoticed onto ships bound for the Spanish mainland. They and dozens of other children have formed their own community under the protection of the rocks. Director Benjamin Rost documents the impressive lives of the young people over a period of five years. The film's title describes the widespread practice of illegal North African immigrants burning their papers, and thus their identities, when apprehended by police. A poignant documentary that offers a glimpse into an unknown world. (Zurich Film Festival)