Green Border

Very complicated topic treated in a masterful way. Committed film, so much so, that many purely political comments and ratings have appeared probably from ¨reviewers¨ who I doubt have even seen the film (calling it boring is simply absurd, giving 1 point in 10 is absurd).

It is difficult not to respond emotionally to the harshness of what is presented to us. Self-security, fear, comfort in the face of the insecurity and suffering of others. Some heroes without hesitation align themselves with those who suffer, others not so much out of comfort or risk and others are simply bad people who take advantage of every situation to bring out the worst in themselves. Whether they are Poles, Belarusians or Muslims is simply circumstantial. Poor people used as cannon food, this is happening in our true world and we are lucky to have people who reflect this with their artwork.

The actors are very good, the script, photography and direction are very good. It is, above all, a very complete film that keeps the viewer in tension and takes them out of their comfort zone.

This is the second film I've seen this week with Tomasz Wlosok. Earlier, he was in Julia von Heinz's tragic-comedy "Treasure" (2024) with a far lighter and fluffier role than he has here, as a Polish border guard. He is part of a team charged with repelling refugees trying to cross into the EU from Belarus. On that front, we are introduced to travellers who have been lulled into thinking their flight from Syria and Afghanistan will be a dawdle. An expensive one, yes, but a straightforward flight to Minsk on a comfortable Turkish aircraft then a bus to Poland thence on to wherever. Sadly, they soon realise that their bought-and-paid-for journey merely inserts them into a game of human table tennis between the military on both sides of a border - only it's coiled barbed wire rather than a net. It doesn't matter what their predicament - injured, pregnant, old, vulnerable - they are systematically robbed, starved and dehydrated. There is some hope for them, though, as Polish activists try to help them and get them on the register for asylum. That, however, requires that they be reported to the police and then to the guard and so we are back with handsome Tomasz ("Jan") again. Their journey is riddled with peril and that's harrowing at times, but somehow not quite so difficult to stomach as the behaviour of the people in uniform bending or breaking the rules from above to ensure a minimum of these people ever made it past the forests of the 250-odd miles of border. Politics plays it's part too - the government of one nation accused of using these people as "live bullets", the other of sowing seeds of dissent within an EU where rising nationalism is polarising societal attitudes. In the end, it is a really rather brutal assessment of human nature at it's worst whilst also illustrating just what lengths decent folks will go to, and the risks they will take, to do what they feel is right. The intensity of the camerawork - especially in the woods, and the audio editing give this an added piquancy that makes their plight all the more terrifying, frustrating and deadly. I didn't quite get the point of the anecdote at the end. I'm not sure that concluding assertion took into consideration the historic cultural and traditional links between neighbouring Poland and Ukraine as distinct from those fleeing from Syria, but it does offer us considerable food for thought on what is the right thing to do without imposing director Holland's personal view too overwhelmingly on the issues faced by countries that might be legitimately concerned about the impact on their nation, economy and culture of large scale migration. It's not an easy film to watch, it's violent and nasty - but compelling.

Even before the premiere of this movie, there was a lot of drama going on already. Everyone was reviewing it even though all they saw was a tiny bit of trailer. Sometimes, not even that. Even polish government started to make their own propaganda to make people believe it was anti-polish movie and all of that just so they could gain more voters before election that will happen soon. In some cities, it's even banned to be played in cinemas. That's how current government's world works and will work if they win again. No free speech, full censorship of anything that may be offensive towards government and many many more. But it's not about it.

Movie itself is build on politics, so it's hard to not talk about them. Though, I don't think that Holland wanted to attack the army itself, as some of the people think she did, but rather the corruption and how government overused their power. How they forced people to act like there was no human rights, like those people on the other side of the fence were nothing. This movie isn't about letting illegal migrants into the country, but about respect and right treating. We're all humans after all, but what was happening on the border was really wrong.

It's not a documentary, but a lot of things that happened in the movie had place in real life. There was a lot of videos, photos and even articles saying about those horrible things happening. And all of it just because of the government, who wants to make their own people scare and be afraid of other nationalities. Movie was also about our own feelings, how we see the world that surrounds us. It's always hard to say about things, that are uncomfortable, but true. But they have to be said and we can't just let those high positioned people get away with it without any consequences. That's not how this world should work.

I was following the news back then and I'm really glad that such movie was made and is showing somehow the reality of what was happening on the border. But the truth is, what media were allowed to show us and what is the real truth of how it really looked like, is two different things and for people, who are open-minded those two things should matter to draw your own conclusions and based on that make your own opinion.

I loved the different perspectives this movie shown, at first tho i was scared that they would show all guards and people there as bad ones. It is not all black and white like that. There was some things that this movie omitted, but i think the message still is valid. We should all be treated in humanly way, you know. As a sensitive person this movie hit me hard, the pregnant woman scene, like WHO can be heartless like that. I am also big fan of french music, so i loved 'Mourir mille fois' in the soundtrack. Anyway, if u think about watching this movie, than i think its a great way of spending sad autumn afternoon. For sure you will think about this movie for a while. ( If you dont find feelings, emotions etc. Interesting than maybe dont go, cos you will not get the point and probably you'll be bored). Have a nice day people :)

At the begining i must say, i'm from Poland and i was very curious about this movie, as i was pretty familiar with volunteers stories, i had an opportunity to talk with few of them, a few medics and just regular people that wanted to help. Outside all the media coverage both private and national, i've read a lot of memories and interviews with people, both with volunteers' as well as the border guards and people living in the area. Some of them were really brutal, raw and just... sickening.

This movie is something i wanted to check out, to see if all the criticsm in (mostly far right) media was justified. And i'm really happy i checked it myself.

The cinema i was watching the movie in, was pretty much full, except for the first 3-4 rows, and the movie ended, everyone was just quiet. Like if everybody needed a minute to think. People only started talking in the main hall / outisde of the cinema.

In my opinion movie mixes some of the real events with a bit of fake scenarios, some scenes were probably a bit exaggerated, but on the other hand, seeing photos and videos that were recorded on the real border, i think it's a good move by the creators of the movie.

I believe that movies like "The Green Border" are highly needed in our society. Society that often listen to only just one side of the story, without even trying to hear what others have to say. That's what all the buzz surrounding this movie came from. Just a lot of people, that didn't even seen it, criticise it to gain something. Especially now, right before elections in Poland.

Putting politics aside... It's just a good movie. With a very good acting, pretty good cinematography and remarkable importance for everyone, who's not aware of the humanitarian crisis, happening to this day at Polish-Belarusian border.

To summarize... I think this movie is for everyone, who's not afraid of criticism of their beloved party, state services or his own morals. This movie may leave you with some heavy emotions, thoughts and it's deafinately not an easy movie to watch. But i trully belive, everybody should check it on his own, with open mind and being ready to hear and see uncomfortable truth.