As Franz Kafka’s chilling relevant story of “The Great Wall of China” is spoken, traditional narrative and talking heads make way for a powerful visual poem and study of borders, literal and virtual, across contemporary Europe. Cramped camps are shockingly contrasted with the squeaky clean major European cities in the stunning cinematography of Feargal Ward, who finds spaces that are both beautiful and alienating. Tadhg O’Sullivan’s The Great Wall is startlingly timely with all the talk in the US of building “great, great walls” to keep out the masses of immigrants.
-Jennifer Morris