The Last Shelter

Production year: 2021
Country: Mali
Director: Ousmane Samassekou
Producer: Estelle You Robin

Deep in Mali, in West Africa on the edge of the Sahel Desert, lies the peaceful city of Gao—a quiet way station for passersby with their eyes set on Europe in hopes of finding opportunity, safety, and a better future. As migration flows from countries south of Mali like Burkina Faso, Togo, and Benin, the people of Gao maintain a safe haven where tired travelers seek refuge and immigration support before continuing their journey into Algeria, Spain and beyond. The travelers tell their stories in a uniquely beautiful and humane film about no longer having a home once you have set off.

The Last Shelter is an emotional portrait of this town and the generous people who live in it.