The Rest

Synopsis

The Rest is a documentary by Ai Weiwei about refugees who arrived in Europe, the world's bastion of human rights. These refugees fled war and persecution in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and other conflict-ridden countries. They sought refuge in France, Italy, Germany, Greece, Sweden, and Turkey, but most have not found the safe havens of their dreams. Instead, they now live in limbo within a disintegrating humanitarian aid system, no longer the center of media attention, yet unable to move forward with their lives. They are "The Rest". In 2017 Ai Weiwei released "Human Flow", his epic film about the global refugee crisis, spanning 23 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America. Since then, the crisis has only worsened, and rising anti-immigrant sentiments have been stoked by populist European politicians. Those refugees awaiting sanctuary in Europe found their lives put on hold, victims of overburdened aid systems, media fatigue and intensifying nationalism.