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A tense and thought-provoking investigation into the hidden procedures of the immigration process.
Four asylum seekers re-enact their asylum hearings with real-life government officials, before the roles are reversed. Everything is at stake for them. What happens when your future rests on how convincingly you can tell your whole life story without physical records?
Tensions are high throughout, as The Hearing flits between reality and role-playing. Despite this, the stories of the participants remain moving and vulnerable, as they reveal their very personal reasons for fleeing their homes. When the roles are reversed, the officials are forced to confront how it feels to be under the microscope.
This unique and thought-provoking documentary challenges contemporary immigration processes, allowing us access to a usually hidden procedure. Drawing attention to the dehumanising nature of current migration policy, debut director Lisa Gerig has created a documentary that explores the power dynamics at play and highlights the ways in which the current system is failing those most in need.
