La Forteresse, 2008, Fernand Melgar 104′
Shot over 60 days at Swiss immigration registration and processing centre Vallorbe, Melgar's absorbing documentary takes a look at the problems facing its staff and its asylum seekers.
Fernand Melgar is renowned for his powerful investigations into the injustices of Swiss society. His latest offering, The Shelter 2014 / 101m (trailer) , charts a cold winter spent at an emergency shelter for homeless migrants in the wealthy city of Lausanne. His sensitive approach renders the camera invisible, immersing us straight into the heart of a hidden bunker where the same dramatic ritual unfolds every night. Shelter staff have the terrible task of randomly selecting the evening's residents: women and children first, men later if there is room. The shelter can hold 100 people, yet frustratingly, only 50 'chosen ones' will be allowed inside the concrete walls. Those that remain outside face a long and lonely night. Following controversial The Fortress and Emmy-nominated Special Flight, The Shelter is a masterful third part to Melgar's documentation of the migrant experience in Europe, and vital testament to the power of film to shed light on stories hidden in the shadows.
