In the darkness of an eternal night, Waking Hours transports us among a group of Afghan smugglers in the forest on the border between Serbia and Hungary. Starting from a distance, the static camera observes the movements visible thanks to a few sources of light piercing the darkness, coming from flashlights, cell phones, or fires. The highly immersive sound design conveys every noise that emerges from the silence of this place where migrants' futures take a new step toward accessing Europe's Schengen area. The filmmakers approach the protagonists with delicacy and restraint, quietly sharing their personal stories and perspectives without artifice. This relationship of trust reveals the cruelty and violence of an unequal world and its repercussions. (HSB)

Presented with the support of the Italian Cultural Institute in Montreal

North American Premiere

competition : International Feature Competition

Waking Hours