Film festival focusing on migrants and refugees opens in Sofia

MENAR Migration, a new documentary film initiative aimed at promoting awareness and understanding of the experiences of migrants and refugees, opens in Sofia on Thursday and runs until June 28.

The project is organised by the International Organization for Migration and the Sofia MENAR Film Festival. According to the organisers, migration is often discussed in terms of statistics and policies, while the human stories behind the numbers receive less attention. The festival seeks to highlight personal accounts of hope, hardship, adaptation and belonging.

Five films, all making their Bulgarian premiere and previously recognised at international film festivals, will be screened during the event.

The festival opens with The Pickers by German director Elke Sasse, which turns its focus on the migrant workers whose labour helps sustain Europe's farms and orchards. The documentary explores the lives of people who travel in search of work and better opportunities.

Editor: Diana Tsankova