Synopsis

Every day, thousands of miles from here, dozens of men driven by hope, set out with the intention of arriving in Europe. During the first days of their crossing between Agadez and Djanet, these emigrants confront the violent acceleration in time and the organic stillness of the desert. December 1998. The African desert. Car headlights light up an indistinct jumble of men piled onto the back of a pick-up bobbing into view and disappearing. This image remained in my memory and to make this film I returned to the place where I had seen it. I had to find those I had lost in those that I would find. It takes five days to swing from the status of a citizen to that of an illegal immigrant, a place which, far from being a piece of scenery reveals itself to be the enemy.

Awards

Selections
Cinéma du Réel, Jeu de Paume – La Frontera infinita Etats généraux du documentaire, Rencontres moyen-métrage de Brive, Film court de Villeurbanne, Lutin des courts-métrages, Résonnances, Festival international du documentaire Ajaccio, Traces de Vies, Ecrans documentaires, Escales documentaires, Mois du film documentaire, Cinémaginaire, Champs contre champs, Histoire de voir, Festival De Lasalle, ItinErrances A nous de voir (Oullins), Festival ânûû-rû âboro, Rendez vous de l’Histoire (Blois), Territoire en images, ; Echos d’ici échos d’ailleurs, Comptoir du doc. International : Vues d’afrique, Doclisboa, Pamplona Film Festival, Alternativa Barcelone, Viennale, Filmer à tout prix, Festival francophone de Tübingen-Stuttgart, Belgrade Documentary and Short Film Festival, Hamburg docfilmweek, Doc Buenos Aires, Freiburger filmforum, Doc à Tunis, Forum d’anthropologie visuelle 2009, Medusa en Afrique, Festa du cinéma français au Portugal, Exile Film Festival (Sweden), Human Rights Film Season (Argentina), DokumentART, Medfilm Rome, Festival Russia d’Ekatinburg, Golden Minbar festival, Cinémigrante de Buenos Aire, Wassermuzik.
Awards

• First Award at International Movie Festival, Marseille
• Jean Vigo Award - Punta des Vista
• Best Medium Length Documentary at Doclisboa
• Jury's First Award at Human Rights Film Festival of Buenos Aires
• First Doc Award at Ecrans du Réel
• Short Length Award à Songes d'une Nuit
• Documentary Award at Regards sur le monde – Rouen, Mention at Milan Filmmaker Film Festival