Polish official harshly criticizes film that explores migration crisis at Poland-Belarus border

By VANESSA GERA
Associated Press

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — A leading member of Poland’s conservative government has sharply criticized a film that explores the humanitarian disaster affecting migrants along the Poland-Belarus border. “Green Border,” which premiered Tuesday at the Venice Film Festival, is by Polish director Agnieszka Holland and plays in competition at the festival. The drama puts a spotlight on the refugee crisis that emerged two years ago at Belarus’ borders with the European Union nations of Poland, Lithuania and Latvia. It takes a critical look at how Polish authorities treated refugees and migrants lured to the border by the dictatorship of Belarus. Poland’s hard-right justice minister, Zbigniew Ziobro, slammed the film, comparing it to Nazi propaganda.