To the North

1996, open sea. During his shift on a transatlantic ship’s deck, Joel, a religious Filipino sailor, discovers Dumitru, a Romanian stowaway hidden between some containers. If he is spotted by the Taiwanese officers running the vessel, Dumitru is at risk to be thrown overboard. Joel decides to hide him, as a sign of his gratitude toward God. Soon, a dangerous cat and mouse game begins. When his crew, his own friends, and even God himself start to turn their backs on him, Joel learns that he has to face his cruel destiny alone. Inspired by a true story and first formulated as a radio documentary, this is a story – in the words of its own creator – “about moral choices, kindness and compromise, courage and fear. A film that could speak to people about their own lives.”