''Europe's New Faces'' is a 2025 observational

documentary film A documentary film (often described simply as a documentary) is a nonfiction Film, motion picture intended to "document reality, primarily for instruction, education or maintaining a Recorded history, historical record". The American author and ...

directed by

Sam Abbas Sam Abbas (Arabic language, Arabic: سام عباس; born 11 November 1993) is an Egyptian Americans, Egyptian-American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He is noted for his artfully composed, poetic, and incident-light tableaus film sty ...

. The film explores the experiences of African and South Asian migrants traveling across the Mediterranean Sea from Libya and their efforts to build new lives in Europe. With a minimalist, immersive approach, Europe's New Faces offers a raw and unfiltered look at migration, integration, and survival in contemporary Europe.

Plot

The documentary is divided into two distinct parts. The first segment, "Land & Integration," follows the daily lives of around 400 African immigrants living in an abandoned building in Paris. Through static shots and natural lighting, the film captures their everyday struggles, from cooking and bathing to religious practices and the looming threat of eviction. The second segment, "Sea & Passage," shifts focus to the NGO

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF; pronounced ), known in some English-speaking settings as Doctors Without Borders, is a charity that provides humanitarian medical care. It is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) of French origin known for its projects in conflict zo ...

rescue ship Geo Barents, documenting its efforts to save migrants crossing the Mediterranean.

Production

Sam Abbas directed Europe's New Faces with an observational, minimalist approach, eschewing traditional documentary storytelling methods such as voiceover narration or talking-head interviews. The cinematography relies on static shots and natural lighting to enhance the intimate and meditative quality of the film. The score was composed by filmmaker and composer

Bertrand Bonello Bertrand Bonello (; born 11 September 1968) is a French film director, screenwriter, producer, composer and actor. His work has been associated with the New French Extremity. He wrote and directed ''Something Organic'' (1998), '' The Pornographe ...

, known for ''

The Beast The Beast may refer to: Religion * The Beast (Revelation), one of three beasts described in the New Testament ''Book of Revelation'' Fictional characters * The Beast, imaginary monster in William Golding's novel ''Lord of the Flies'' (1954) * ...

'' (2023) and '' Saint Laurent'' (2014), adding an atmospheric depth to the film's visual storytelling.

Festival Release

Europe's New Faces premiered on February 28, 2025, at the

Museum of Modern Art The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street (Manhattan), 53rd Street between Fifth Avenue, Fifth and Sixth Avenues. MoMA's collection spans the late 19th century to the present, a ...

(MoMA) in New York as part of the institution's Doc Fortnight series. The screening marked the film's first public showing, drawing attention from critics and audiences interested in contemporary migration issues. Critics praised Europe's New Faces for its unfiltered portrayal of the migrant experience. The film's lack of narration and interviews was noted as a powerful artistic choice, allowing viewers to engage with the subject matter without mediation.

Cineuropa Cineuropa is an online information portal dedicated to the promotion of European cinema. It publishes daily news, reviews, interviews, and industry reports and maintains a database of information. It is available in four languages: English, Fre ...

highlighted the film's ability to capture the nuances of displacement and survival through its restrained yet evocative cinematography. The use of Bertrand Bonello's score was also singled out as a compelling addition to the film's immersive experience. The documentary has been described as a poignant and necessary exploration of migration in Europe, offering a perspective that is often overlooked in mainstream discourse.

References

External links

*
Profile
on

Mubi (streaming service) Mubi (; stylized as MUBI; the Auteurs before 2010) is a global streaming platform, production company and film distributor. MUBI produces and theatrically distributes films by emerging and established filmmakers, which are exclusively available ...

* {{Sam Abbas, state=collapsed French documentary films Italian documentary films American documentary films 2025 documentary films Documentary films about immigration Documentary films about illegal immigration to Italy Documentary films about refugees Works about the European migrant crisis 2025 films 2020s French films Swiss documentary films 2020s American films 2020s Italian films