In the summer of 2021, hundreds of people started crossing the Lithuanian border from Belarus every day. As a result, Lithuania reinforced its border protection, building a metal fence and a barbed-wire barrier and assigning troops to help the border guards.
Lithuania and the European Union said it was a “hybrid attack” orchestrated by the Minsk regime, which had taken advantage of thousands of people – mostly Iraqi Kurds but also Syrians, Congolese, Afghans, and others – to reach Western Europe and have a safer and better life there.
This is the story about two people – one guarding the border, the other crossing it illegally – and the circumstances that have led to the intersection of their stories.
This work by Sigita Vėgytė at LRT was recently named Best Documentary at the influential Third Coast International Audio Festival in the United States.
Produced by Sigita Vegytė
Editors Vaida Pilibaitytė and Adomas Zubė
English translation by Ieva Žvinakytė
Subtitles by Adomas Zubė
Cover photo by Domas Zenkevičius
Presented at the EBU conference IFC AudioDocs 2022 in Cardiff, UK
Presented at the audiofestival BANGUOJA 2022, Lithuania
Presented at the international festival Internazionale a Ferrara 2022, Italy
Featured on Radio Atlas
Best Documentary: Gold, Third Coast International Audio Festival 2022-2023, US
Newsletter
Every Friday morning.
