Transit

Set against the tumultuous backdrop of Djibouti, Abdourahman Waberi's "Transit" is a searing exploration of displacement, identity, and the brutal legacies of conflict. At a Parisian airport, two Djiboutian immigrants, Bashir and Harbi, find their fates intertwined by a single, pivotal misunderstanding. Bashir, a young, wounded soldier recently discharged, and Harbi, a political suspect whose wife, Alice, was killed by police, are both seeking refuge. When an embassy official mistakes Bashir for Harbi's son, and Harbi, grasping at a chance for a new life, does not correct the error, both men are exiled to France—Alice's home country. This intricate narrative weaves together their personal stories with a broader, unflinching examination of Djibouti's history: its devastating wars, the plight of child soldiers, rampant arms and drug trafficking, and pervasive hunger. Waberi crafts a lyrical yet cynical chronicle that delves deep into a nation's crippled economy, tortuous politics, and ravaged moral landscape, offering a powerful reflection on the human cost of geopolitical strife and the complex journey of exiles.