Nothing to Declare (2018)

Directed by: Hetty de Kruijf | 20 minutes | short film, drama | Actors: Rama Taher, Khales Warrak, Yazan Al-Hakim

Three Syrian refugees try to reach Europe in the hold of a container truck. The three, two men and a woman, dream of a better life, far from their traumatic experiences of war and destruction. At the same time, there is a fear that their coveted destination country will not take them in. Their emotions cannot go anywhere during the emotionally infinite journey. Freedom beckons. But before that, they’ll be locked up like rats. Still, they try to make the best of it.

The short film ‘Nothing to Declare’ (Hetty de Kruijf) shows the journey from start to finish. From their first meeting in the lorry hold to the eventful denouement at the place of arrival. In between the long wait. Getting to know each other better, talking about football and singing about the abandoned homeland. Making plans for the future, that is. But also the constant oppression that they will be discovered. Or that their food and drink will run out. That their entire journey, with all its risks, turns out to be in vain. Fears that threaten to become reality if the truck stops driving out of nowhere.

The developments are woven together by means of long fades. This makes the passage of time tangible in a smart way. Because the camera never leaves the hold, the viewer is automatically part of the long wait. The short, fragmentary scenes in the intriguing ‘Nothing to Declare’ may seem simple, but they are extremely effective. The story, based on the experiences of the three actors, is essentially about life and death. What initially starts out somewhat stale, remains haunted for a long time because of that tightness. For a film of roughly twenty minutes, that is definitely a great achievement.