To the North (Spre Nord)

Based on a true story. 1996, open sea.

During his shift on a transatlantic ship’s deck, Joel, a religious Filipino sailor, discovers Dumitru, a Romanian stowaway hidden between some containers. If he is spotted by the Taiwanese officers running the vessel, Dumitru is at risk to be thrown overboard. Joel decides to hide him, as a sign of his gratitude towards God. Soon, a dangerous cat and mouse game begins. When his crew, his own friends, even God itself start to turn their backs on him, Joel learns that he has to face his cruel destiny alone.

“An ambitious story based on true events that happened almost twenty years ago, but still feels just as relevant today. The film opens with two men in wild waters, grasping onto floating barrels. They look petrified, and most likely know there’s no positive outcome regarding their situation. We then switch to two friends playing a game of improvised football while walking across a bridge in the middle of the night. Georgi and Dumitru are on their way to illegally board a containership. With their dream of making it big in the USA, their fear takes the backseat, even though it becomes quite clear early on they didn’t anticipate the setbacks they’re about to experience.” - Into:screens