On October 30, Migration Matters launched the first evening of its new three-part Migration Matters Film & Talk Series, hosted in Berlin cinemas and designed to invite audiences to see and better understand migration through film. Under the thematic arc LEAVING – STAYING – RETURNING, each evening pairs a feature film or documentary with reflections from experts and practitioners alongside space for audience discussion.
Ten years after the so-called “Summer of Migration” in 2015, our opening event LEAVING at Delphi Lux Kino focused on experiences of flight and the realities faced by people who are forced (or choose) to go. The evening centered on the award-winning documentary The Mind Game, co-directed by Eefje Blankevoort and Els van Driel together with Sajid Khan Nasiri (SK). The film follows SK’s extraordinary journey at age fifteen, from Afghanistan through Iran, Turkey, and the Balkan route, all the way to Belgium.
From left: Muhammad Qadeer (Soziales Berlin), Bernadette Klausberger (Migration Matters), Melissa Medina-Márquez (More in Common Germany)
Documenting much of the journey himself on a mobile phone, SK frames his experience like a game in which he must clear one “level” after another. Behind this metaphor lies a journey marked by violence at borders, uncertainty, dependency on smugglers, and the arbitrariness of authorities — realities that shape many refugee routes to Europe today. When SK finally arrives in Belgium after two years, he must navigate the mistrust of authorities toward unaccompanied minors and the emotional burden of coping with trauma far from home. The psychological impacts of displacement remain deeply underreported, yet they are central to the lived experience of many refugees in Germany and beyond.
Before the screening, after an introduction from Bernadette Klausberger from Migration Matters, we heard from Melissa Medina-Márquez from More in Common Germany. Melissa offered insights from opinion research into how migration is discussed in the public sphere, how narratives shape public attitudes, and what makes constructive conversations possible. One key finding highlighted from More in Common’s research: most people in Germany want a constructive discussion on immigration issues — but the current debate is not living up to that expectation.
After the film, the audience heard from Muhammad Qadeer, a Berlin-based social care worker supporting unaccompanied minors, who saw elements of his own journey reflected in SK’s. “We need to acknowledge what these young people have achieved, and how strong they truly are,” he reminded us, speaking to both the trauma and the resilience carried by many young refugees.
The audience engaged in thoughtful questions and conversations long after the credits rolled. Several participants described the event as a powerful and eye-opening experience — an evening that encouraged deeper reflection on migration, resilience, and responsibility.
For those who couldn’t attend or who want to explore further:
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The Mind Game is available on YouTube
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More in Common’s publication „Konstruktiv darüber reden: Fünf Fragen für zukunftsfähige Einwanderungsdebatten“
A warm thank you to Melissa Medina-Márquez, Muhammad Qadeer, our partners at Yorck Kinogruppe and the Deutsche Postcode Lotterie, and everyone who joined us for this first evening.
The series continues on December 4 with the theme STAYING, featuring the award-winning French film L’Histoire de Souleymane at Rollberg Kino in Neukölln. We hope to see many new faces there as well.
Photos by Allan Whyte