Chatila and Reda are saving to pay for fake passports to get out of Athens. But when Reda loses their hard-earned cash to his dangerous drug addiction, Chatila hatches an extreme plan, which involves them posing as smugglers and taking hostages in an effort to get him and his best friend out of their hopeless environment before it is too late.

The Garden Cinema View:

To a Land Unknown is a gripping, entertaining film, the seeds of which were planted in Mahdi Fleifel's previous feature, the excellent documentary A World Not Ours, which provides the context of desperation and forced exile that shed light on the motivations of this film's protagonists. To a Land Unknown does however pose a bit of an ethical dilemma. At a time when Palestinian men are subject to dangerous tropes and politically motivated caricatures, the portrayal of Chatila and Reda's less than righteous journey can make for an uneasy watch. Yet, credit to Fleifel for giving his leads agency, for his nuanced depiction of desperation, and for crafting a well-executed crime caper.

Cast:
Mahmood Bakri, Aram Sabbah