A Study on the Representations of Migrants and Refugees in the Films the “Other Side of Hope” and “The Port of Hope”

Abstract

According to the 2016 report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, more than twenty-one million people around the world have left their own country and have had to migrate to other countries in the hope of a new life. The issue of immigration appears as a news topic in various ways. The issue of migration, which we sometimes encounter in the news about refugee boats sinking in the open sea, sometimes about refugee bodies washing up on the shore, and sometimes about immigrant children seen on the subway or Metrobus, still maintains its place on the agenda as one of the most important issues in the world. This situation inevitably the producer of collective consciousness has also found a place in cinema. The assamble area of this research is Aki Kaurismaki's study, which centers on refugees. It is designated as the “Port City” Trilogy” series. The films “Other Side of Hope” and “Port of Hope” in the series have been examined in detail. On the other hand, since this extraordinary director of European cinema has not yet completed the third film of the series, this film could not be included in the analysis. In this study, it is emphasized how immigrants and refugees are represented in both textual and semiotic contexts in the context of these films. As a result, it has been seen that Aki Kaurismaki particularly highlights the feeling of hope in his films and underlines approaches such as being human and treating people humanely. Even though hostility towards immigrants and refugees is increasing, Aki Kaurismaki's films seem to highlight approaches such as being human and treating people humanely. The director's different stance in these films, where he highlights hope, also symbolizes the hope that a different world is still possible.