Ai Weiwei, the architect-artist-turned-filmmaker better known for his arts-oriented projects, turns his attention to the worldwide refugee phenomenon with this mesmerizing documentary. Shot on location in such far-flung places as the Greek Islands, Jordan, Gaza, Southern Italy, Northern Greece, Bangladesh, Turkey, Paris, Berlin, and the US-Mexican border (with the totally useless wall in the background), Ai’s camera merely stands and watches, without narration, as hundreds, then thousands, of distressed people flee from the impoverished, war-weary parts of the world to the more prosperous parts, seeking safe haven. The human tide acquires a weight of its own. An extremely moving and thought-provoking experience (140 min., 2017, rated PG-13)
By
Kelly Vance