Bohu žel

The Czech Republic has been shaken by a virtual refugee crisis for several years now. This documentary by Saša Dlouhý places the hysteria in sharp contrast to the real picture of the lives of six people who are looking for a refuge in this country. "I haven't seen my son in four years, and I've never met my granddaughter; we only talk on Skype," says Zurab, a Georgian who has been waiting for asylum in Prague for 20 years. Vladimir from Russia, who was persecuted by his government for his public apology for the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia, was more fortunate: he received asylum for his whole family. The Syrian Hadí, meanwhile, feels totally unwelcome in the Czech Republic. The stories of six people escaping war or persecution are similar. They are united by a desire for a fresh start. Representatives of refugee organisations in the film wonder what has happened to the solidarity of Czech society since the early 1990s, when it offered a helping hand to thousands of Bosnians fleeing Yugoslavia. And they ask against whom the hate disguised as patriotism is directed. (One World)