People Without Destinations, the Refugee Stories Told by 'Transit' [Joohee Kang's Video Prism]

A Story of Refugees During World War II, a Work That Brings It to the Present

Movie 'Transit' still image. Photo by MNM International

Editor's Note How do you remember that scene? Have you ever suddenly recalled a moment from a movie? This is likely because films are closely connected to our lives. Movies offer another perspective on reality. We present various viewpoints on reality by highlighting a single scene from a film. Please note that there may be spoilers in the description of scenes and details.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] Directed by Christian Petzold, Transit is a film about refugees. The movie depicts the arduous journey of people who, after fleeing to France to escape the Nazis during World War II, face another struggle to seek asylum in a different country when Germany occupies France.

Georg, a German staying in Paris, finds himself in a life-threatening situation as the German army advances into the city. Then, a friend offers him a proposal: if he delivers two letters to the famous writer Weidel, he will be helped to escape to the unoccupied port city of Marseille.

One of the letters is from the Mexican embassy in Marseille, offering Weidel a visa to come to Mexico, and the other is from Weidel’s wife, Marie, saying she will wait in Marseille. However, Weidel had already taken his own life. Georg hides in a freight train compartment, carrying Weidel’s last novel and the two letters, and heads to Marseille.

At the Mexican embassy in Marseille, where Georg arrives while evading armed police, many people in similar situations have gathered. There is a conductor complaining about the difficulties of the visa issuance process, a Jewish woman who cannot leave comfortably because she is taking care of a dog left by an American couple, and people who have lost their families and loved ones and are plunged into despair...

All of them risked their lives to reach Marseille for their own reasons, but to leave France, they must go through the complicated visa issuance procedures again. The visa process can take several months, and if they do not meet the qualifications, the visa may not be issued at all. They are forced to wait indefinitely. However, waiting is the best choice for people who cannot even guarantee their safety here. The faces of those occupying a corner of the embassy and waiting their turn show a coexistence of hope that they will soon leave France and anxiety that they might ultimately die here.

Movie 'Transit' still image.
Photo by MNM International

Transit emphasizes that the refugee issue caused by the aftermath of World War II remains unresolved today. Although the film tells the true story of the German army occupying northern France in 1940, it hardly shows images that would make it feel like a period piece. The streets of France, the armed police conducting identity checks, and the characters’ attire are not recreated as they were in the 1940s but are depicted in contemporary form.

The film’s choice to blend past stories with present-day images reflects the awareness that the tragedy of the past is ongoing. Issues such as the influx and acceptance of refugees caused by war and religious conflicts remain unresolved challenges for the international community. The film leads the audience to perceive the past story not as a mere recollection but as a current event with immediacy.

Refugees are constantly required to prove their identity wherever they go. However, those who fled blindly to survive have few ways to prove their identity. When Georg, an undocumented immigrant, arrives in Marseille and tries to stay briefly at a hotel, the hotel owner refuses accommodation due to lack of a residence permit. The owner asks to see a visa and boarding pass proving that Georg will soon leave France. Georg’s expression, saying, "So, to stay here, I have to prove that I won’t stay?" reveals his despair. In this absurd reality where one must prove the unprovable, hope gradually turns into frustration.

Still image from the movie 'Transit'./Photo by MNM International

Unable to live safely with his own identity, Georg plans to leave for Mexico using the identity of the deceased writer Weidel. Originally, Georg had visited the Mexican embassy to deliver Weidel’s last manuscript and belongings, but the embassy official mistakes him for Weidel, enabling him to obtain a visa and boarding pass to Mexico.

Meanwhile, Georg meets Marie, Weidel’s wife. Unaware of her husband’s death, Marie wanders the streets of Marseille searching for him. She follows people who resemble Weidel, only to realize they are not him, repeatedly feeling disappointed. Even when told that Weidel is dead and will not come here, she refuses to accept the truth. Like a ghost without a soul, Marie continues to roam the city.

Falling in love with Marie, Georg gives her the boarding pass and helps her leave for Mexico. However, after taking her to the port and returning to a restaurant, Georg encounters Marie again, who does not recognize him. She suddenly disappears, and the film ends with Georg’s face as he waits for her return, unsure if she is a hallucination or real. Those who want to leave but cannot, and those who cannot settle here?these people who have lost their destination may still be waiting somewhere, indefinitely.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.