Welcome

A smoothly crafted, emotionally affecting drama driven by powerful performances, Welcome focuses on illegal immigrants trying to reach England from Calais, and the risk taken by the French people who help them. Bilal, age 17, left his native Iraq shortly after his girlfriend emigrated to England, and he is now in the midst of an adventurous journey across Europe in order to see her again. However, his trek comes to an abrupt end on the northern coast of France when he reaches the busiest waterway in the world, the wintry English Channel. Could Bilal join the number of bold swimmers who attempt the frosty crossing? The boy decides to head for the local swimming pool to begin training. There he meets lifeguard Simon, to whom he eventually confides his grand plan. Simon takes Bilal under his wing and secretly teaches the young Kurdish refugee how to do the crawl despite ongoing threats from the police who imprison those who aid illegal immigrants. - Seattle International Film Festival Winner Berlin International Film Festival