The fact that the entire asylum system in the EU does not really work is common knowledge. People fleeing war and oppression are very likely to be granted asylum or at least subsidiary protection, but they must still endure the perilous journey to Europe. Only after surviving traffickers, slave traders, and harsh environmental conditions can they hope for protection.

However, "Io capitano" is not about people who "have" to flee but rather "want" to take on the dangerous journey due to the rather bleak prospects for their future. The film follows two Senegalese teenagers, Seydou and Moussa, who dream of a better life in Europe. They soon have to abandon their naivety, as nothing goes as they had imagined during their journey. This whole ordeal is also staged quite effectively by director Matteo Garrone.

Overall, however, I find "Io capitano" somewhat misguided in its hopeful tone. The escape is somewhat turned into an adventure. And at the end, we don't find out what happens to the two boys after their journey. However, the likelihood of them being able to stay in the EU is probably pretty slim. In Germany at least, Senegal is considered a "safe country of origin," which means that the asylum recognition rate is extremely low and, in almost all cases, there is a threat of deportation back home. It would be interesting to know whether the boys would have made the journey with this knowledge.

One could certainly argue that the EU should open up legal possibilities for this kind of migration. In any case, it is indisputable that action must be taken against the criminal trafficking gangs that shamelessly exploit desperate people on the run.

But Garrone doesn't have much to say about this whole matter. The film's contribution to the debate is rather small. The strong performance of young actor Seydou Sarr in the leading role is impressive, and there are some depressing images in the middle of the film, but ultimately, it was all a bit too watered down for me. In real life, the escape does not end just off the Italian coast, as the film would have us believe.