On the dangerous escape route from the Gulf of Guinea to the Moroccan coast, two young people meet who have nothing in common except the hope of a better life in Europe. Hope, a young Nigerian woman, meets Léonard from Cameroon during a life-threatening journey through the desert landscapes of North Africa, where violence, exploitation, and the merciless trade in human beings are omnipresent. At first, Léonard rejects Hope, but she refuses to leave his side. Soon he realizes that without support, he too has little chance of surviving their brutal odyssey. Between mistrust and the will to survive, a fragile bond develops, marked by solidarity and mutual dependence amid the inhuman reality of their everyday lives. HOPE is the impressive feature film debut of French director Boris Lojkine, who was previously known for his documentary work. For maximum authenticity, Lojkine cast the leading roles with amateur actors whom he met himself in refugee camps in northern Morocco. The outstanding performances of Endurance Newton (Hope) and Justin Wang (Léonard) lend the film intense credibility and emotional depth. The film premiered in 2014 at the prestigious “Semaine de la Critique” at the Cannes Film Festival, where it received the coveted SACD Critics' Prize. Further awards followed at the Festival du Film Francophone d'Angoulême, where HOPE received both the Valois Magelis and the prize for best director.
Drama
1h 33min
16
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EN
PL
NL
FR
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PT
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DE
On their flight from the Gulf of Guinea to the Moroccan coast, two people, despite or because of the omnipresent danger, find each other.
On the dangerous escape route from the Gulf of Guinea to the Moroccan coast, two young people meet who have nothing in common except the hope of a better life in Europe. Hope, a young Nigerian woman, meets Léonard from Cameroon during a life-threatening journey through the desert landscapes of North Africa, where violence, exploitation, and the merciless trade in human beings are omnipresent.
At first, Léonard rejects Hope, but she refuses to leave his side. Soon he realizes that without support, he too has little chance of surviving their brutal odyssey. Between mistrust and the will to survive, a fragile bond develops, marked by solidarity and mutual dependence amid the inhuman reality of their everyday lives.
HOPE is the impressive feature film debut of French director Boris Lojkine, who was previously known for his documentary work. For maximum authenticity, Lojkine cast the leading roles with amateur actors whom he met himself in refugee camps in northern Morocco. The outstanding performances of Endurance Newton (Hope) and Justin Wang (Léonard) lend the film intense credibility and emotional depth.
The film premiered in 2014 at the prestigious “Semaine de la Critique” at the Cannes Film Festival, where it received the coveted SACD Critics' Prize. Further awards followed at the Festival du Film Francophone d'Angoulême, where HOPE received both the Valois Magelis and the prize for best director.