The Borders of Paradise (Screening for the 2nd time in Amsterdam)
Doors open: 19:00 hrs
Screening: 19:30-20:00 hrs
Q&A: 20:00 - 20:30 hrs
Drinks: 20:30 - 23:00 hrs
The Borders of Paradise by Nicolás Romero Silva
At the border of Italy and the French ‘Côte d'Azur’, hundreds of asylum seekers become trapped in destitution after enduring harrowing journeys from their home countries and across the Mediterranean sea.
The Borders of Paradise is the first feature-length documentary from director Nicolás Romero Silva, and the first film of producers Zara Gounden and Fraser Byers. Independently financed through a crowdfunding campaign and a Davis Projects for Peace Grant, it was filmed over the course of 2 years in France, Italy, and the Libyan coast of the Mediterranean Sea.
In the town of Ventimiglia (at the French-Italian border) we meet the young men who have fled genocide, violent militias, destitution, and have risked their lives crossing the sea to reach the perceived safety of Europe. However, once in Italy they are faced with what one young man calls a “slow death”. Unable to gain the foothold of basic social services, many asylum seekers end up in Ventimiglia. For those who wish to try their luck in another European country awaits a difficult border crossing, often thwarted by the violent and extra-judicial pushbacks by the French police. Others try more dangerous means, such as the ‘pass of death’ through the mountains, in the backs of trucks, or the roofs of trains.
Caught between the agonizing wait for help in Italy and the hope of a better life on the other side of a fortified border, The Borders of Paradise is a detailed portrait of the psychological toll which neglectful European policy has on the young men who arrive on its shores. Incorporating multiple face-to-face conversations about the why and how of their migration, this film seeks to make heard the voices of those most dehumanized in the European political landscape.
Director’s Bio
Nicolás Romero Silva is a film director and cinematographer of Mexican American origin. While studying at The Mahindra United World College of India with a Davis UWC Scholarship Nicolás made his own short films, earning him multiple official selections and a ‘Best Drama’ nomination at the All American High School Film Festival. After graduating he spent two years working in the film industry before commencing his bachelor’s degree. During those two years he directed, shot, and began post-production for his first feature documentary The Borders of Paradise.
The film was independently financed through a crowdfunding campaign and a Davis Projects for Peace Grant, and was filmed over the course of 2 years in France, Italy, and the Libyan coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The film tells the story of the thousands of migrants left in uncertainty as they seek asylum in Italy after being rescued in the sea. Finding no help, hundreds become trapped at the border of Italy and the French ‘Côte d'Azur’, as they resort to dangerous means to cross a militarized border. In addition to the physical and psychological obstacles ahead of them, they must also confront the visceral and traumatic journey they have left behind.
After more than a year of post-production, the film has been completed and is currently in its distribution stage and awaiting a festival premiere. Still studying in Amsterdam, Nicolás has gone back to writing, and is hoping to secure financing for a follow up narrative short film which tells some of the stories he encountered during the making of The Borders of Paradise which could not be represented in the documentary. Always committed to creating cinema of high artistic value which engages with social issues, he continues freelance work in the Dutch film industry and prepares for his next project. Nicolás is currently a second-year student at Amsterdam University College, completing a bachelor in liberal arts & sciences with a focus on philosophy and politics.
Social media
Nicolás Romero Silva https://www.nicoromerofilms.com/film/20-miles-more / https://www.instagram.com/nicoromerosilva
Ventilator Cinema Instagram - www.instagram.com/ventilator_cinema
Ventilator Cinema Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@VentilatorCinema
Location information:
Ventilator cinema/ Bar at OT301 - on the 2nd floor
Accessibility - Only stairs. No elevator available to get to the 2nd floor.
Address - Overtoom 301 Amsterdam
Bike parking - Due to having neighbors, no parking in front of the OT301 building entrance.
Public transit -Tram stop ‘J.P. Heijestraat’ (Tram 1)
Car parking - Reade Overtoom (Paid per hour) or streetside.
