Documenting Crises: Raising Awareness through Documentary Film

Abstract

In the final chapter, the author focuses on the most recent efforts by Greek filmmakers to direct attention to the ongoing refugee crisis. In particular, 4.1 Miles (2016) and Summer on the Island of Good (2009), exhibited online , deal head-on with the plight of refugees in Greece and en route to Europe and simultaneously reveal the indifference of the European community and the difficulties that Greece faces in managing the situation amidst its financial crisis. In addition, Golden Dawn: a Personal Affair/Xrysi Avgi:Prosopiki Ypothesi (2016) sheds light on the alarmingly growing popularity of the neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn which has spearheaded a racist rhetoric and attacks on refugees. The discussion thus focuses on cinema as a means towards raising awareness, to politically engage with endemic xenophobia and to challenge cultural perceptions. Ultimately, this chapter aims to show the potential of Greek cinema to document the plight of refugees in a manner that mainstream media and the political establishment overlook.