Route 4 is an independent project by Boxfish and Sea-Eye. While crafting the dramaturgy we wanted to show both sides: The refugees and the NGO. By doing that we make it possible to grasp the whole situation and not only one perspective. Route 4 is framed by one theme, the imminent danger of Libya, but nevertheless it wasn't the goal to tell a continuous journey as that's not how real life works either. We rather like to enable the viewer to perceive the scope of the humanitarian crisis and conflict in Africa and Europe. This movie is supposed to touch, anger and to generate hopelessness. We followed the sea rescue ship "Alan Kurdi" and the NGO Sea-Eye for more than 15 months and witnessed five Missions as their media-team. In addition to these moving moments on the Mediterranean, footage in Niger, Tunis, Libya, Malta, Italy and France was filmed. This unpublished material and its message that was very dear to us all shall now be released in the form of "Route 4". We want to point a finger at the EU-made Problems. At the pain and agony of the people on their journey. And we want to respect the unparalleled work of the NGOs (here Sea-Eye) who are the only ones taking the responsibility to save lives. The Route 4, the namesake of this movie, is the central Mediterranean route, the deadliest escape route in the world. 2016 181.400 people crossed the med this way. Over 4.500 people died in the same year. For many the journey starts in Africa.
—Alexander Draheim