At the Gates of Europe

The consequences of conflicts related to the Arab Spring, such as the wars in Libya and Syria, have triggered a massive wave of refugees. On 3 October 2013, 366 immigrants trying to reach the Italian island of Lampedusa drowned in the Mediterranean Sea. Shortly after, the Italian government launched Operation Mare Nostrum, involving five Italian navy war ships and other additional resources. This short documentary follows a search and rescue operation of nearly 200 immigrants, mainly from Pakistan and Syria, who were found drifting in the sea between Lampedusa and Tunisia. The film ends with rare footage of the refugee center of Mineo, Sicily, the largest of its kind in Europe, where many rescued by the Italian navy end up.