Reviews of night watchers – a difficult struggle with the problem of moving under a photo-post ski resort | Video

WThe French town of Montgenèvre has become a popular holiday destination with spectacular mountain peaks. Looking back at these great images, Juliette de Marcillac’s compelling documentary presents a very different picture, instead focusing on the humanitarian crisis that is developing beneath the snow-white image of the beautiful landscape.

A storm of confusion and fear looms over the dramatic opening of the film, which follows a group of refugees crossing the Italian border into Montgenèvre, hoping to find safety. France. Among them are pregnant women and even small children, many of whom suffer from frostbite, fatigue and other life-threatening conditions. Their problem, however, is met with intimidation and orders to arrest the local police.

Walking through the chaos are the famous night watchers – local volunteers who work to help migrants. Hand-held videos show the urgency of their efforts, as aid workers provide warm clothes, hot water, and medical care to those in need. In the face of police threats, these caring practices are filled with the urgency of resistance.

Much of the film unfolds with dramatic suspense. A cat-and-mouse conflict exists between the volunteers and the police, whose members not only monitor migrants crossing the border but only night watchers. Although he is very objective, De Marcillac’s visual approach also emphasizes a great deal of difference. At other times, the camera moves from low numbers of pilgrims – many of whom have already traveled thousands of kilometers – to gondola rides and colorful billboards; the merger exposes the fraud that underpins the treatment of asylum seekers. In the morning, Montgenèvre will open itself again to the tourist crowd. Meanwhile, for those in the surrounding forests, their freedom of movement is being brutally violated.