Lost Land (Harà watan)

Shafi and his sister Somira leave the Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh to find their family in Malaysia. Their dangerous journey ends abruptly after a disaster involving an overcrowded smuggling boat. Despite the many setbacks, they rely on the kindness of the people they meet along the way. Through their children’s eyes, their journey becomes a playful metaphor for their displaced people.

The Japanese director Akio Fujimoto gives a voice to the Rohingya and breaks the taboo surrounding their fate. To stay as close to the truth as possible, the cast consists solely of Rohingya-actors. ‘Lost Land’ is the first film ever to be spoken entirely in the Rohingya language. This authentic portrait about migration and identity premiered at the Venice Film Festival, where it won the Special Jury Prize.