November 23, 2007 documentary – Immigrant difficulties in Italy
Migration from Africa to Italy is steadily increasing. The trip from Africa is long and can be quite dangerous. Once the decision is made to leave home, immigrants must first cross the desert, and then set sail on the Mediterranean. And many don ‘t survive the journey. Some travelers reach the south of the country by crossing the Mediterranean in small boats, landed by immigrant smugglers on the Sicilian shore. Many arrive in poor health after the difficult journey. Others come over land via Spain or France with the goal of earning enough to send money back home, save some for themselves and, one day, go back to their homelands, buy a house and raise their children.
The African immigrant community is a rich mix of ethnicities and cultures. But when the mostly young men arrive in their destination countries, they find a commonality of struggle. They must find work , but their choices are limited and the conditions can be harsh. Immigrants specifically from Arabic countries are primarily men, in part because single women are not allowed to leave their families and travel to Italy.
Young men and women between 20 and 30 years of age tend to travel alone and often don’t know anyone once they get to the city. their only social contacts are other nationals from their homeland.
This documentary by Diletta Varlese will focus on the difficult experiences of male migrants, who make up the majority of new arrivals to Italy.
