Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
It all starts with a knock. In a small Polish town on the border with BelarusMaciek and his family take in 27-year-old Alhyder, a refugee from Syria who wants a safe place from the cold weather and police raids. Since 2021, the region has been fighting a war after Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko, politically, offered the borders of Belarus as a new way to move to the EU. In response, the Polish government created a 3-km zone where refugees and migrants are caught and sent back to Belarus. With humanitarian organizations also banned from the region, asylum seekers are now in the political war game, and their lives are constantly at risk.
Showing the danger faced by Maciek and Alhyder, Zvika Gregory Portnoy and Zuzanna Solakiewicz. Many of their conversations appear awkward, as Alhyder struggles to communicate with a group of refugees; his soldier at this time supervises the presence of soldiers at all times in the area. The film expands to include other forms of resistance, such as a group of good Samaritans who provide food, warm clothing and translation services to those hiding in the forest. These acts of kindness shine a comforting light against the darkness of human suffering.
Although it appears to be a record of bravery, the document is hampered by some flaws. One photo shows the body of a refugee who has died, possibly from hypothermia; while the faces of those around him are still visible, his are still visible on the screen, which begs a reasonable question about the photography of unelected people. Meanwhile, the film shows less interest in Alhyder’s history and personal life than it did at the time. By framing refugees as victims, The Guest leaves little room for viewers to see refugees as real people.
