Einhundertvier

A Film by Jonathan Schörnig. On July 20th an 21st at the fsk. In German and English with German subtitles.

[Credits] [Tickets & Termine] [Trailer]

How a sea rescue can take place is beyond imagination. The real-time documentary “One Hundred Four” (German original title: “Einhundertvier“) brings this dramatic situation closer. The film shows how agonisingly long it takes to rescue 104 people from a sinking rubber dinghy. Person by person, step by step, the action is accompanied by several parallel cameras. The situation comes to a head when the Libyan coastguard appears. The rescued people and the crew wait for days on the high seas, as no Mediterranean country allows them to dock. Only after a terrible storm does the ship reach a European harbour.

Every year, the world’s most dangerous escape route claims thousands of lives. In the first half of 2023 alone, almost 2,000 people died in the Mediterranean because the European Union‘s border policy systematically violates existing rights. Instead of helping the shipwrecked, Frontex carries out illegal pushbacks, supports the violent actions of the Libyan coastguard and massively combats private sea rescue missions that intervene where the EU fails. Despite media evidence, it remains incomprehensible to those who have not experienced this situation themselves: why are hundreds of people in mortal danger being denied help and the civilian helpers even threatened and criminalised?

Jonathan Schörnig was affected by the dilemma of lack of awareness and decided to bring a sea rescue to the screen as a real-time documentary to show how agonisingly long it takes to rescue 104 people from a sinking rubber boat. The film accompanies the action person by person, step by step, with several parallel cameras.

The situation comes to a head when the Libyan coastguard turns up. The rescued people and the crew wait for days on the high seas, as no Mediterranean country allows them to dock. Only after a terrible storm does a harbour grant them entry. What sounds like a bad film script is actually the daily reality.