It’s been a hit for a week on Netflix. The thriller “Nowhere” echoes the migrant crisis. But is its incredible scenario inspired by a true story?
The Spanish film Nowhere is a hit on Netflix and currently holds the top spot on Netflix’s “Top 10 Non-English Language Films” list with 23.8 million views worldwide. It does better than Reptile, released the same day and which has “only” 17.7 million views even though it has a rather attractive cast made up of Benicio Del Toro, Alicia Silverstone and Justin Timberlake. But without a doubt, the dystopian thriller from Spain is stronger.
Netflix
Directed by Alberto Pintó and starring Spanish actress Anna Castillo, Nowhere follows the journey of a pregnant woman named Mía and her partner Nico (Tamar Novas), who decide to flee a dystopian, totalitarian version of Spain. They try to escape aboard a cargo ship, but are separated by their smugglers.
The whole thing constitutes a fairly obvious parallel with the current migrant crisis in Europe. But is Nowhere actually based on a true story?
The answer is no. Nowhere is not based on a true story. It is a work of pure fiction, meaning it was invented from scratch. The screenplay was co-written by five screenwriters – Ernest Riera, Miguel Ruz, Indiana Lista, Seanne Winslow and Teresa de Rosendo – who adapted it from a story written by Indiana Lista.
In an interview with the Spanish daily Publicdirector Albert Pintó explains that Indiana Lista did not base her story directly on a real person or event, but was inspired by the experiences of people she met:
“She knew a couple of Mexican migrants who had tried to cross the border, crammed into containers and trucks. We interviewed them and it was heartbreaking to hear the stories of these people who were risking their lives in 40 degree heat and with barely a bottle of water to make the journey.“
“The human trafficking routes in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua are documented, but in our country we are also very familiar with the tragedy of the sinking of small boats or cayucos. (kinds of canoes, editor’s note). It is important not to forget that, even if today it does not seem to affect us directly, in another context it could be any of us“.
Add to these statements that the world of Nowhere is obviously not real, given that Spain is in the middle of a fictional war and a totalitarian regime has taken control of the country. But as Albert Pintó reminds us, the migration crisis across various parts of the globe, including in Europe, is a reality that cannot be ignored.
The world recalled last June that the central Mediterranean has once again become the first irregular entry point into Europe, at the cost of extremely perilous crossings. A week ago, Point reported more than 2,500 migrants dead or missing in the Mediterranean in 2023. Compared to this sad reality, the film Nowhere seems like a fairy tale…