On the Bride’s Side

Name: On the Bride’s Side
Director: Antonio Augugliaro,Gabriele Del Grande,Khaled Soliman Al Nassiry
Released: 2015

Antonio Augugliaro Gabriele Del Grande Khaled Soliman Al Nassiry 2015

A group of five Syrian and Palestinian refugees who have fled to Europe to escape the war in Syria find themselves in Milan. There they meet a Palestinian poet and an Italian journalist, who decide to help the group complete their journey to Sweden. In order to ensure the safe passage of the refugees and to prevent their allies from being arrested as traffickers they come up with a radical plan: faking a wedding. With a Palestinian friend dressed as the bride and a dozen Italian and Syrian friends as wedding guests, the group cross Europe on an epic journey towards new possibilities.

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Running Time:

98 min.

Spoken Languages:

Arabic, Italian

Subtitles:

English

Directors:

Antonio Augugliaro Gabriele Del Grande Khaled Soliman Al Nassiry

Producers:

DocLab

Cinematographers:

Antonio Augugliaro, Gianni Bonardi, Marco Artusi, Valentina Bonifacio

Editors:

Antonio Augugliaro

Production Companies:

Gina Films, DocLab

Immigration and Migrat..

Israeli-Palestinian Co..

Law and Justice

Middle Eastern Studies

Personal Story

Politics

Society

Press

In this audacious documentary, the directors meet in an apartment in Milan with a group of their friends who have agreed to bring five undocumented immigrants from Syrian and Palestine across Europe to take refuge in Sweden... A strange film about the hot-button topic of European immigration, this is recommended.

VIDEO LIBRARIAN
The film provides a heartbreakingly human face to the crisis and is essential viewing for anyone who could use a reality check on these events, which is probably everyone. This documentary is highly recommended for public and academic libraries and is ideal for courses on immigration, human rights, and the Middle East Conflict.

Educational Media Reviews Online
Documentary makers may face prosecution after dressing a group of refugees as a wedding party to hoodwink border guards

AL JAZEERA
On the Bride's Side: a wedding arranged to smuggle 5 Syrian refugees in Europe

Hanan Razek, BBC Arabic
A fake wedding convoy to mock Fortress Europe's borders

Mariangela Paone, EL PAIS
Film captures mad odyssey of Syrian refugees through Europe

FRANCE 24
These Guys Faked a Wedding to Smuggle Syrian Refugees and Filmed It

Mat Nashed, VICE NEWS
Not simply a film, but a political manifesto”

Guiseppina Manin, CORRIERE DELLA SERA
A beautiful lesson of humanity and civil solidarity

RTS (SWISS RADIO AND TELEVISION)
Collateral Award - Human Rights Nights Award

“For the courage and originality of a crowdfunded operation which reminds us in a light and profound way that every migrant is not a number but a human being”
Fedic Award - Italian Federation of Cineclubs

“Because it is the prototype of a new model for independent and participated cinema, both on the productive and on the authorial level”.
Social Critic Award “Sorriso Diverso”

“For the great and brave example of civil disobedience against inhuman laws. For the strength of the images of many scenes. For the innovative form of production that involved more than 2.600 donators, making On the Bride's Side the most important crowdfunding ever made in the Italian cinema”.2015 Doc Edge Film Festival, New Zealand
Grand Prize Of Geneva

“For the beautiful lesson of humanity and solidarity amongst citizens, which sorely lacks today. For the commitment and the courage of the directors who succeeded in following this human adventure until the end of the dream and whom made it possible, as well as for the intelligence and unique perspective with which they treated the subject.”

Festival Participation

Venice International Film Festival, Italy - 2014
Collateral Award - Human Rights Nights Award
Doc Edge Film Festival, New Zealand - 2015
Social Critic Award “Sorriso Diverso”
Milano Film Festival - 2014
International Documentary Festival Amsterdam - 2014
Dubai International Film Festival - 2014
Karama Human Rights Film Festival - 2014
Gothenburg Film Festival - 2015
Terra di Cinema Film Festival - 2015
Best Documentary Award
FIFDH Film Festival - 2015
Grand Prize Of Gene
Titanic InternationalFilm Festival - 2015
Movies That Matter Film Festival - 2015
Tetouan Mediterranean Film Festival - 2015
Terra Di Cinema Film Festival - 2015
San Sebastian Human Rights Film Festival - 2015
Hot Docs Festival - 2015
Sofia InternationalFilm Festival - 2015
Beirut Cinema Days - 2015
Zagreb DOX - 2015
San Cristobal Film Festival - 2015
Lima Censurados Film Festival - 2015
Oslo Human Rights Human Wrongs Film Festival - 2015
Stuttgart Film Winter - 2015
Brussels Mediterranean Film Festival - 2015

Additional Materials

Film Poster

Distribution Company

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