Green Border

Escaping tyranny to find a better life is a process frequently riddled with challenges, frustrations and desperate measures. So, when refugees hear about an allegedly credible way to more easily escape their circumstances and make their way to freedom, they often enthusiastically jump at the chance to avail themselves of the opportunity. Such was the case in 2021 with the supposedly unblemished promise accorded the “green border” crossing from Belarus into Poland, a port of entry into the European Union said to offer a comparatively less problematic escape route for those fleeing the Middle East and Africa. However, given that neither nation wanted to deal with a flood of refugees at the time, combined with swirling rumors that the new arrivals posed a serious security threat to the well-being of a conservatively governed Poland, the border patrol guards in both countries engaged in an aggressive campaign of brutally rounding up and unceremoniously dumping escapees back and forth on each other’s territory, repeatedly subjecting those caught in the middle to inhumane treatment and unspeakable perils with each switch, a practice little known outside the region at the time. This latest offering from acclaimed writer-director Agnieszka Holland sheds light on what happened during this turbulent time, a troubling scenario that, despite some significant reforms in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine War, still continues to this day. The film explores this scenario through four interwoven story threads showing the impact of the green border on the lives of refugees, border guards, activists seeking to assist refugees in transit, and everyday citizens looking to make a difference in Polish government policies and practices. The picture’s superbly crafted narrative and poignant screenplay provide an excellent, in-depth examination of the connections involving these four constituencies through a well-integrated combination of engaging, emotion-filled sequences and its captivating, edge-of-the-seat treatment of the principals’ diverse yet linked experiences. However, given the subject matter and its gritty, realistic depiction, sensitive viewers should be aware that this release can be a difficult watch at times. Nevertheless, despite its cinematic candor, this offering is also riveting in holding viewing attention, quite an achievement for a film with a 2:32:00 runtime, an artistic accomplishment largely made possible by its fine performances across the board and its stunning black-and-white cinematography. At the risk of overstatement, “Green Border” is handily one of the most important releases of 2024, one that should be on every cinephile’s must watch list for its hard-hitting impact and eye-opening revelations, disclosures that anyone with a conscience should find impossible to ignore.