WHEN PAUL CAME OVER THE SEA
by Jakob Preuss
synopsis
Paul is a migrant from Cameroon. He made his way up through the Sahara to reach forests close to the Moroccan coast where he waits for the right moment to cross the Mediterranean Sea. This is where he meets Jakob, a filmmaker from Berlin who is doing research along Europe’s borders. Soon afterwards, Paul manages to cross over to Spain on an inflatable dinghy. He survives – but half of his companions die on this tragic 50 hour odyssey. Once in Spain, instead of getting psychological help he is sent to an immigration detention centre. It's only upon his release that Jakob and Paul meet again, at the Red Cross centre in Granada. Because of the economic crisis in southern Europe Paul decides to continue on to Germany, the former colonising power in Cameroon and the country of his dreams. In the end the film takes a twist that neither Paul nor Jakob could have expected when they first met in the forest. The film tells the story of an unusual friendship in an agitated political context.
international title: | When Paul Came over the Sea |
original title: | Als Paul über das Meer kam |
country: | Germany |
year: | 2017 |
genre: | documentary |
directed by: | Jakob Preuss |
cinematography by: | Juan Sarmiento G. |
producer: | Jakob D. Weydemann, Jonas Weydemann |
production: | Weydemann Bros., Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (ZDF) |
backing: | Film- und Medienstiftung NRW, Nordmedia |