At the age of 15, Sajid Khan Nasiri flees Afghanistan alone after the Taliban kill his father. His journey takes him through Iran, Turkey and Eastern Europe, finally arriving in Belgium two years later. Along the way, he is confronted with constantly changing circumstances, unpredictable situations, experiences of violence, but also human solidarity. 

‎‎

Many unaccompanied minors call their risky journey to Western Europe "The Game". With his mobile phone camera and continuous messages to filmmakers Eefje Blankevoort and Els van Driel, Sajid Khan Nasiri documents his escape step by step. However, upon arriving in Belgium, instead of the security he longed for, new burdens await him: psychological pressure, suspicious authorities and disturbing news from home. Now he is faced with a new "game": the "mind game" of dealing with his experiences alone.

‎‎

This intimate documentary impressively shows, from a personal perspective, the psychological challenges faced by unaccompanied refugee youths in Europe.

‎‎

The theme evening LEAVING combines film, discussion prompts from migration experts, and an exchange of knowledge and experiences from among the audience. We look forward to hearing the discussion contributions from Melissa Medina-Márquez (More in Common Germany) and Qadeer Mohammad (social worker in Berlin).