"We're not in Europe to play games!" Souleymane has fled Guinea and wants to build a new life for himself in France. Without a passport or official papers, he ekes out a living in Paris as a bicycle courier. To earn money, he works under precarious conditions for a delivery service. As he races tirelessly through the chaotic city day and night, sleeping in emergency shelters and borrowing identities to be able to work, time is running out for him. In just 48 hours, he has his decisive interview at the immigration office: an appointment that will ultimately decide his migration story, whether he will be granted asylum or deported, and thus his future in Europe. If he is granted protection, he will be allowed to live and work here...

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A feature film that authentically depicts the realities of migrant communities in European cities: the harshness of arrival, the exploitation of many migrants in the gig economy, their struggle to stay. Amateur actor Abou Sangare, himself an undocumented migrant, gives an impressive performance as Souleymane – a performance that earned him the Best Actor award at Cannes and the European Film Awards.

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The theme evening STAYING combines film, discussion prompts from migration experts and an exchange of knowledge and experiences among the audience. We look forward to stimulating discussions with Manuela Bojadžijev, professor of “Culture and Lifestyles in the Immigration Society” at the Berlin Institute for Empirical Integration and Migration Research (BIM), and Aju John, lawyer/activist specializing in migrants and their working conditions in large cities.