Barzakh review – atmospheric study of undocumented migrants in limbo

In the Spanish enclave of Melilla, young Nepalis share stories of survival while they await the next chapter of their lives

Opening with a solemn quote from the Qur'an defining Barzakh" - a liminal space between the dead and the afterlife - Alejandro G Salgado's sombre documentary evokes the same atmosphere of indeterminacy, creating both a geographical and emotional state of perpetual longing. Shot entirely at night on the coastline of Melilla, which turns otherworldly once darkness falls, the film observes, often from a distance, young and undocumented Nepali boys who are waiting and hoping to cross to Europe.

Hiding among the cavernous hollows of the rocky cliffs of this tiny Spanish enclave, these boys are wrapped in shadows. Besides hiding their identities, the nocturnal cinematography also points up the stark outlines of their makeshift shelters, which seem to swallow their small figures whole. The boys sing traditional devotional songs together: the gentle yearning sharply contrasts with the cacophony of the ocean waves, suggesting the arduous journeys on which they will soon embark.