Illegal Dreams

For refugees and fortune hunters Istanbul is the gateway to Europe. For people smugglers, this city is key to their lucrative trade. In run-down hostels, thousands of illegal immigrants wait to make the crossing. Documentary maker Ayfer Ergün shows us two of the hostels and their guests: about hundred men in all, mainly Pakistanis. For some of them it may be the fourth attempt to reach the West. Ayfer Ergün, from Turkey herself, has always been fascinated by the city of Istanbul: a mosaic of cultures and religions where East and West meet.

As soon as the refugees arrives in Istanbul they contact the smugglers. After that they have to wait for weeks or months before their dangers travel . In between they wait in Hotel Nevsehir which is in Kücükpazar, a old area in Istanbul. Twenty men share a room, where they eat and drink, sleep and wash. The whole day they do nothing just waiting for the smugglers to get them to Greece of Italy by boot or truck. All these men have the same story and the same goal. They want to go to the West and find a job and earn money. In the documentary the are telling how they arrived to Turkey and what they left behind. Also they tell their dreams about the future. Pola (52) a illegal Pakistani, he stays in Hotel Nevsehir. He lives now for 20 years in Istanbul in all these years he tried to go to Europe but every time he was send back to Turkey because he did not have the right papers to stay in Europe. Now he is helping the newcomer in Istanbul.

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