By Grace Gordon
Courtesy of Maxxie, Suzzee & Cinema
Documentary is proud to debut a clip from Europe’s New Faces, directed by Sam Abbas. The film is an empathetic, unfiltered depiction of both the challenges and triumphs faced by migrants—from the harrowing journey across the Mediterranean sea from Africa to the closely-knit communities they create in the squats of Paris.
Europe’s New Faces is produced by Abbas via his production company Maxxie, Suzzee & Cinema, and executive produced by Randelson Floyd, who collaborated with Abbas previously on The Wedding (2018). The score is composed by acclaimed French director Bertrand Bonello (The Beast, House of Tolerance). Abbas was interviewed by Documentary following its U.S. premiere earlier this year at MoMA’s Doc Fortnight. Europe’s New Faces is currently slated for a theatrical release later this year.
Since Doctors Without Borders suspended all search and rescue missions in the Mediterranean from December 2024, due to Italian policy blocking further operations, the following clip offers a unique glimpse of a member preparing for a mission.
Abbas said of his experience filming these rescues: “Determined to understand this journey firsthand, I joined a month-long rotation aboard Médecins Sans Frontières’ [Doctors Without Borders] Geo Barents rescue vessel. The experience was devastating. We encountered everything from the belongings of migrants who had drowned to armed intimidation by the Libyan Coast Guard.”
Abbas also describes what happens outside of the clip: “One rescue we attempted was intercepted by force, with the Coast Guard taking the migrants back to detention, stealing the boat engine, and setting the vessel on fire as a warning. Through all the tragedy, there were also moments of hope. The joy and relief in the eyes of those we rescued is indescribable—a reminder of the resilience and humanity that endure even in the darkest circumstances.”
