The Fortress ( La forteresse ) ( La fortaleza )

The Fortress (DVD) (*)

~~$39.99~~ $33.97

Original Title: La forteresse
Alternate Title: La fortaleza
Screened, competed or awarded at:
Other Film Festival Awards

Language Selections:
English ( Subtitles )
French ( Dolby Digital 2.0 )
French ( Dolby Digital 5.1 )
German ( Subtitles )
Italian ( Subtitles )
Spanish ( Subtitles )

Product Origin/Format:
Switzerland ( PAL/Region 0 )

Running Time:
100 min

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen (1.78:1)

Special Features:
Interactive Menu
Scene Access

Movie filmed in 2008 and produced in:
Switzerland ( Germany, Central Europe )

Directed By:
Fernand Melgar

Written By:
Fernand Melgar

Actors:
Fernand Melgar

Synopsis:

At the Registration Centre in Vallorbe, in the Swiss canton of Vaud, documentarist Fernand Melgar follows asylum-seekers throughout the process, limited to sixty days, that will result in their being granted refugee status, or not. An Armenian man, arriving at night in a lorry, is given some toiletries and is allocated a dorm. There he meets another Russian speaker who shows him around. Interviewed twice by a government official, the claimants have to justify their presence in Switzerland in terms of the danger they will face if they return to their home country. A centre employee explains to a young man from Togo that his country is now safe and that he must go back, while the latter wants only to see his father, who lives in Switzerland, and cannot understand why he is being refused to stay. At other moments, a real sense of community is felt, as in one long winter evening when the centre director, invited to a religious gathering, is visibly moved as he watches these believers, who, far from home and family, have not lost hope and keep smiling.

Devoted to the daily life at a centre for the registration of asylum seekers, The Fortress has helped to expand the debate on asylum in Switzerland. Since it was awarded the Léopard d'or award at the Locarno Film Festival in August 2008, the sensitive subject matter as well as the sensitive manner in which Fernand Melgar filmed it have brought it international recognition. The film has been invited to several film festivals the world over and has won numerous awards. It was a great success in Switzerland with over 45'000 viewers going to see it in the cinema.

This product was added to our catalog on Wednesday 06 October, 2010.

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