Welcome

Bilal, a young Kurdish refugee, has one and only goal - to make it to England where his girlfriend lives. Like many others in his situation, after a number of unsuccessful attempts to cross the border he finds himself stuck on the French coast. His last desperate chance is to swim over the English Channel. His dedication makes an impression on Simon, a grumpy swimming instructor, who starts to give Bilal swimming lessons. The story follows the almost fatherly relationship between Simon and Bilal, setting Welcome next to other young-refugee-and-his-mentor films, like Clint Eastwood´s "Gran Torino" or a "Good Heart" by Dágur Kari. Philippe Lioret´s "Welcome" won the LUX Prize in 2009.