The film Welcome places the viewer in the midst of a young refugee's struggle to immigrate from France to Britain in order to unite with his young love. The refugee at the center of the story, Bilal, is a young Kurdish man who befriends a Frenchman swimmer by the name of Simon Calmat. Throughout the film, the two men form an unusual bond through which the viewer is exposed to some of the issues surrounding refugee immigration in France. The film's strength lies in its depiction of the relationship between the French citizens and the migrants. Many scenes in the film explore the complicated relationship between the two groups. For example, early in the film Calmat and his soon-to-be-ex-wife enter a grocery store and witness a security guard refuse service to two migrants. Calmat is unmoved by the conformation which suggests that during his time in Calais, he has become numb to these type of interactions. The apathy Calmat originally displays is indicative of how most French citizen have feel about the plight of the refugees. This indifference is the result of the policies and attitudes set forth by the French government which attempts to dehumanize the refugee population to the French citizens in an attempt to reduce the amount of refugees within the state.
The film also explores the relationship between relief workers and the French government. The aid workers, who are French citizens, attempt to provide food and water to the migrants. These acts appear to only meet the basic human needs of the refugees, but the French government condemns them as they believe such actions encourage refugees to stay in France. In the film, French immigration officers attempt to shut down the efforts of the aid workers by suggesting they helped Calmat harbor Bilal. The struggle between the French relief workers and the government depicted in the film accurately displays the current relationship of the two groups. It is refreshing to see a film attempt to address such complicated issues. It probes the question of what actions one should take when your basic responsibilities to feed and clothe your neighbors is at odds with the legislature put forth by your government.
One issue with the film is how it chooses to portray the character of Bilal. While the film does an admirable job of humanizing the refugee, but it falls prey to the common film ploy of presenting him as the perfect victim and therefore deserving of aide. Bilal always appears to be respectful and is driven by admirable intentions. His undying love for his young girlfriend, Mina, further supports his imagine as the perfect victim. The film could have been improved if Bilal was a more developed character. Perpetuation of the perfect victim ideology suggests that there are only certain refugees worth saving. While the film does engage in some clichés regarding its depiction of Bilal, the film overall is a powerful story that examines the way refugees are treated in a European nation.
Review of Welcome
