Films & Events
The Fortress
In 2007, 10,387 people filed requests for asylum in Switzerland, but only 1,561 were granted refugee status. Recently the process for seeking asylum in the country has become even stricter. Director Fernand Melgar wanted to understand “What was driving us to lock the gates and transform this land of asylum into an impregnable fortress?” The Fortress is a penetrating and visually rich look at a Swiss registration and processing center for asylum seekers. Located in the western town of Vallorbe, the building, surrounded by barbed wire and surveillance cameras, is as much a hotel as a prison, and has a life of its own divided into two factions: employees and inhabitants. Through the course of a few weeks (a maximum of two months), asylum seekers are provided with necessities as their interviews with government employees are processed. Each individual tells a harrowing story. Can the staff tell the difference between lies and authenticity to select who wins a second chance at life in Switzerland? Director Melgar’s fly-on-the-wall documentary takes a close look into the lives of the residents in the quasi-penal atmosphere. With emotion, humor, and compassion, The Fortress peers into the heart of the daily process of sorting human beings.
Cast & Crew
Director: Fernand Melgar
Producer: Fernand Melgar
Editor: Karine Sudan
Screenwriter: Alice Sala
Cinematographer: Camille Cottagnoud
Awards: Locarno International Film Festival 2009 (Golden Leopard)
Montreal International Film Festival 2008
Filmography: Exit-The Right to Die (2005); Storm in a C-Cup (2002); Induction Class (1998); Family Album (1993)
World Sales: Accent Films International
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