“A simple but unforgettable glimpse into the trials and tribulations of the migrant community.”

There are many fascinating and provocative components to be found in the films of Sylvain George, but one of the most intriguing is the title of his most recent offering, Obscure Night – Ain’t I a Child?, a reference to a famous speech delivered by activist and philosopher Sojourner Truth. Over 150 years ago she boldly asked, “Ain’t I a Woman?”, a riveting call-to-arms for women across America (and the world at large) to reject the status quo and seek out their own liberation, by any means necessary. On the surface, there isn’t much in common between Truth and the protagonists here, which is one of the reasons George’s decision to make reference to her speech, and by extension her activism, is such a compelling aspect of this film. The final entry in a trilogy of documentaries, preceded by Wild Leaves (The Burning Ones, the Obstinate) and Goodbye Here, Anywhere, the film follows a group of immigrants recently arrived in Paris – for some, this is their final destination, the city where they hope to build their lives, whereas for others it is simply another stop, a momentary detour in which they are able to halt their journey and take stock of both their personal belongings and the path forward. A conclusion over a decade in the making, Obscure Night – Ain’t I a Child? brings to a close the core themes that the first film began exploring in 2012, with a stark depiction of how little the world has changed in the time since he first set out to tell these stories.

Much like the previous two entries in this trilogy, Obscure Night – Ain’t I a Child? is built around the experiences of immigrants making their way towards Europe in the hopes of seeking a better life – in this case, the central figures have left North Africa (particularly the city of Melilla in Morocco, the focus of the previous two films) and found themselves in Paris. The film follows their efforts to assimilate into French society as seamlessly as possible, observing their attempts to blend into the hustle and bustle of Europe’s most famous city, and showing their various struggles to reconcile their identity as immigrants with their desire to forge a more prosperous life. While it was not designed as such, Obscure Night – Ain’t I a Child? is fundamentally a story of how Paris is perceived by outsiders, particularly those who view it as their refuge; a city in which they can achieve a freedom and independence that was never afforded to them in their home countries, whether as a result of political or economic constraints. The three people that this film follows, Malik, Mehdi, and Hassan, are ambitious young men who are seeking a better life but come to realize that Paris may not be the sanctuary that they expected. Not only do they experience open hostility from those who are not accepting of migrants, but there are bureaucratic boundaries that they have to cross in order to simply exist in the city, which are often quite difficult to handle. George crafts a potent and complex depiction of the cultural and legal boundaries that these young men must navigate to simply have their right to exist in this city recognized and accepted, a daunting and harrowing journey that represents the plight of many people in similar situations.

The director undoubtedly had quite a challenge ahead of him with this film, since much of the impact of these stories is established through the execution, to which George pays very careful attention. We can describe Obscure Night – Ain’t I a Child? as less of a film (in the traditional sense), and more of a visual essay, comprising many moments in the lives of the three central protagonists as they adjust to life in Paris, navigating the various challenges that they must face. Filmed in gorgeous monochrome that captures a different side of many familiar Parisian locations, the film presents the city from the perspective of those who have endured a lengthy journey (both physical and psychological), attempting to replicate the complexities that come when settling in and seeking a form of metaphysical salvation. The stark black-and-white photography coupled with the lack of a score (conversations between the people interweave with sounds of the city to create an unsteady but oddly beautiful symphony) underlines the efforts to avoid swaying the viewer towards one particular set of thoughts, and instead highlights the objectivity of this project, or at least the closest approximation we can get to a neutral, direct portrait of the city and its residents. The film is constantly moving at a deliberately slow and steady pace, which gives us the chance to observe the journeys of these characters, capturing every nuance of their attempts to seek out their new home.

Considering the film comes in at just under three hours, and is noted as being the third entry in a trilogy of documentaries, Obscure Night – Ain’t I a Child? seems like a daunting endeavor at a cursory glance. However, all concerns about engaging with this film quickly disappear the moment we step into the world presented to us, with George consistently drawing our attention to the ideas that matter, and constructing the film in such a way that we are unable to look away from its subtle but striking splendor. There is very little persuasion taking place throughout this film – unlike many documentaries on these same themes, the director allows the subjects to speak for themselves, choosing to focus on their words rather than an abundance of facts and figures, which may be useful in terms of commenting on the refugee crisis, but don’t possess the emotional impact that can only emerge through recounting these experiences in the words of people who have undergone the journey themselves. Our gaze is constantly fixated on the striking imagery and the poignant commentary that emerges as a result, making Obscure Night – Ain’t I a Child? a simple but unforgettable glimpse into the trials and tribulations of the migrant community, and as close to an objective, thorough view of their experiences as we are ever likely to receive.