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 opening at the Venice Film Festival that explores the humanitarian disaster affecting migrants along the border between Poland and Belarus. “Green Border” is by Polish director Agnieszka Holland and plays in competition at the festival. It has its world premiere on Tuesday. 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.