«SVZ

After leading a volunteer organisation at a refugee camp for three years, Bogdan returns to the mainland to start a new life.

I met Bogdan in March of 2019 when I was doing volunteer work there myself. I kind of stumbled upon him as he happened to be the leader of the volunteer group. Immediately I was struck by his charisma and humbleness. Where others withered under the grave circumstances we faced on Samos, Bogdan thrived. The social aspect to the work kept him going. It energised him, and this in turn fueled the entire group. As one of the volunteers remarked: he was the backbone of Alpha. So when Bogdan announced that he was leaving the island, I knew I had to capture his story. How does one adjust to normal life on the mainland after being in a position of leadership under extreme circumstances? It turned out to be a lengthier project than I first imagined. All in all, I followed my friend for two years. He left the island and attempted to adjust to life in Germany. Then he returned to Samos, where he found the reassurance that he was free to let go. Eventually I witnessed how he found his footing in Morocco, this time together with his girlfriend.

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Featuring:
Bogdan Andrei

Sabine Klasen

​Crew:
A film by Sam van Zoest

Sound Design by Poul Sven de Haan

Composer - Michiel van Poelgeest

Colour Grader - Kiki Henger

Co-Producer: Anastasia Govtva

Associate Producer: Annick Sickinghe