Festival of Migrations

Migration routes to Europe are often discussed in terms of numbers and political rhetoric. Yet behind these statistics lie human realities shaped by waiting, exile, and violence. Three short films screened at the Festival of Migrations shed light on these journeys, revealing the daily struggles of Sub-Saharan migrants facing brutal detention in Libya, pushbacks at sea, and repressive policies at European borders. 

Diverted from their intended paths and intercepted by the Libyan coast guard, many migrants end up in detention centers under inhumane conditions, deprived of daylight and subjected to systemic violence. With no alternatives, crossing the Mediterranean often becomes their only escape. 

Among the testimonies, the story of Yonas, a young Eritrean, deeply moved the audience. After spending three years in Libya and enduring five stays in detention centers, he finally reached Europe—only to be imprisoned in Malta. His journey then took him to Belgium and the United Kingdom before leading him to Luxembourg, where festival attendees were surprised and touched to meet him in person after the screening. 

Panelists criticized an immigration management model in which the European Union outsources border control to third countries such as Libya and, increasingly, Tunisia. By financing and supporting local forces to prevent departures to Europe, the EU exposes migrants to severe human rights violations. 

As highlighted in the films, many migrants find themselves trapped in countries like Libya, Tunisia, Niger, or Serbia. Those who attempt to continue their journey face extreme conditions, risking hypothermia and serious injuries while crossing deserts, the Mediterranean, or forests along the EU's borders. But reaching Europe does not mean the ordeal is over—detention, discrimination, and exclusion reignite deep traumas. Without shelter or access to integration services, some are left homeless. 

MSF warns of the health consequences of this marginalization: rising cases of scabies, psychological distress, and suicide attempts. Umberto Pellecchia, Senior Qualitative Researcher at MSF LuxOR, emphasized that 

it is not migration itself that endangers migrants' health, but rather political choices that restrict their access to fundamental rights, expose them to precarious conditions, and create avoidable vulnerabilities.