
MountGuruguoverlookstheSpanishenclaveofMelillaonnorthernAfrica’sMediterraneancoast.TheEuropeanUnionandAfricaareseparatedherebyahigh-securityborderfacilityconsistingofthreefences.Refugees,mostlyfromthesub-Saharanregion,liveinthetree-coveredfoothills,fromwheretheytrytocrossthelandborderbetweenMoroccoandSpain.OneofthemisAbouBakarSidibéfromMali,whoinLesSauteursisboththeprotagonistandtheonedoingthedocumenting.After14monthsintheinformalcampandnumerousfailedattemptstobeatthefencesystem,Aboustartsfilming–hisdailyroutine,hissurroundings,themind-numbingwaitforthenext“jump”.HisfootagegivesinsightsintothesocialorganisationoftherefugeecommunityandprovidesamournfullookatthesupposedElDoradoofEurope.<br/> LesSauteurscarriesoutauniqueshiftinperspective:theabstract,anonymousthermalimagesofthesurveillancecamerasstandincontrasttothesubjectivegazeofanindividual.AftermeetingMoritzSiebertandEstephanWagner,Sidibétakesontheresponsibilityfortheircamera,tirelesslydocumentinghislivingconditionsonthesidelinesofanEUunderlockdown.berlinale2016