37. Calais Children - A Case To Answer; movie review

CALAIS CHILDREN - A CASE TO ANSWER
Cert TBA
62 mins
BBFC advice: TBA

It is much to the shame of both the media and politicians that the word refugees has such negative connotations when uttered in conversations in Britain.
In the past, helping refugees was seen as a badge of honour. We took in people who escaped the Nazis or who feared that they would be murdered by the Ugandan regime under Idi Amin or who told harrowing stories about fleeing Vietnam in perilous boats.
Hundreds of thousands of people who would have otherwise died or face persecution help make up the rich tapestry which is our United Kingdom.
However, in recent decades, too many Britons have lost their compassion and are even prepared to turn their backs on children.
For example, the hundreds of young people who found themselves alone, desperate and in danger in the notorious Calais 'jungle' where thousands of people set up makeshift homes while waiting to come to the UK.
In many cases this wait has been forlorn because the British authorities, seen by many in the country to be a soft touch, have refused them entry.
This may have appealed to the ill-informed voters but has been very harsh on the genuine cases of those who have no family.
Sue Clayton's probing documentary discovers mainly African boys and girls who are willing to risk their lives to come to the UK. Indeed, children they know have been killed.
They are interviewed as they wait, sometimes successfully, sometimes not, for permission to enter this country.
Meanwhile, they live in conditions which would not be out of place in the very poorest third world nations and yet they are in northern France.
These are young people which we are cold-shouldering because of a volatile political climate.
Should our leaders who presumably have more intelligence than the masses, not just do the right thing and hang the consequences?
Calais Children gives the clear impression that they are not doing that. The stories are heartbreaking and the shame is all ours.

Reasons to watch: a sad but important story of our time
Reasons to avoid: it is a pity the political arguments weren't juxtaposed

Laughs: none
Jumps: none
Vomit: none
Nudity: none
Overall rating: 7.5/10

Director quote - Sue Clayton: "We continue to support many of the young people in the film, and others we’ve met on the way, one to one, and the film is being used by some of the larger groups like Care4Calais as a tool for helping brief volunteers."

The big question - Why can people look so easily in the opposite direction of children in need?

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