Bienvenue au Réfugistan

Directed by Anne Poiret

Around 17 million people worldwide live in so-called refugee camps – a virtual country with a population equivalent to that of the Netherlands. But this country is not marked on any map in the world. The film describes everyday life in refugee camps – for example in Kenya, Tanzania, Jordan, and on the Greek-Macedonian border. The film shows the absurd state of emergency that prevails in these camps, which is everyday life for the people there – some of whom will spend their entire lives there. The film also critically examines the work of non-governmental organizations and the United Nations Refugee Agency UNHCR, which organize and run the camps. The desire to help people is countered by a system that has nothing else in mind but to keep those in need away from the rich countries of the world at all costs.