Beyond the Beach: The Hell and the Hope (2019)

Outstanding insight into a issue that is, so often, highly politicized. The talking points commonly pushed by both sides of the political divide have never been laid bare in a way such as this; humanity and compassion are at the forefront of this documentary at every step. Being able to follow along with the crew as they mirror so many peoples journeys across unforgiving terrain and life threatening situations simply because they hold on to hope that their destination will be better than their origin deeply humanizes their struggle, and provides a much needed name and face to a group of people typically viewed as a collective mass rather than the individuals with lives, families, hopes, and dreams that they are. For those with only a surface level comprehension of the issue, a position I found myself in before watching this documentary, it helped connect the seemingly distant stages of the migrants journey into a cohesive struggle that I could identify with, and more importantly empathize with; a quality we tend to lack in todays world. Even for those with a more knowledgable base on this topic, this documentary is definitely one to watch. The constant movement from sadness, to outrage, to borderline helplessness drives home the severity of this ongoing crisis in ways that I have not commonly seen on the news and the TV. It has inspired me to not only be more conscious and understanding of other peoples struggles in my daily life, it has also inspired me to be more proactive in my own education regarding the refugee crisis, and more aware of the injustices perpetrated by those so often in control. At the end of the day, the short sound and video bites that are so typical of coverage of these refugees are blasted and exposed through the detailed, harrowing journey that we are brought on. A journey that will surely move any viewer to their core.