Durrab’s Labyrinth was selected for Movies that Matter Filmfestival, April 2021, as part of the Shorts that Matter 2021 programme. You can now watch it here.
Every day teenagers who flee their war torn countries try to cross Europe’s borders in search of protection and a better life. Some reach their destination. Others end up in a shadow world of trafficking, prostitution and modern day slavery. Durrab (16) is one of them.
At the age of 14, Pakistani Durrab started his journey to Europe in the hope of finding safety and a better future for his family. After having been stuck on the heavily guarded Serbian-Hungarian border for over a year, Durrab finally makes it to Slovenia. Here he can start life in the European Union of which he so dreamed. But instead of going to school, Durrab becomes entangled in the shady world of human smuggling. Prone to influence and seduced by the promise of making money quickly, he falls prey to people who lead him astray. Durrab says he wants to quit this way of life, but will he ever find a way out of the labyrinth?
While filming in Serbia with Durrab and the guys he was with, we noticed their love for Bollywood films. Whenever they had an opportunity to charge their phones, they would watch one of their favorite films. When we asked Durrab what Bollywood song best described the situation he was in and how he felt, he replied: ‘Zindagi ki talash’. We recorded a Bollywood style scene that unfortunately didn’t make the final cut of the film. Watch it here!