On a fictional remote Scottish island, a small group of refugees are housed in a sparse, temporary residence while they await the results of their asylum claims. The setting is quiet and wintry, focusing on daily routines, small conversations, and the fragile equilibrium they try to maintain in confinement far from home.
At the heart of the film is Omar, a Syrian musician who cannot work during the asylum process. He clings to his oud, a Middle Eastern string instrument, keeping it close at all times as a symbol of his identity and livelihood. The story follows the strain on his hand, which appears injured and casts doubt on his ability to play. His only steady contact with Istanbul is the pay phone he uses to speak with his parents, who share worries about his safety and about his brother Nabil. Nabil’s role as a soldier in the Syrian civil war adds a quiet but persistent tension, contrasting with Omar’s decision to leave the country. Omar’s parents encouraged emigration to the United Kingdom in the hope that his music could carry Syrian culture to a new audience. Yet as events unfold, his father begins to question whether they might have been better off staying and fighting. Throughout much of the film, Nabil’s whereabouts remain unknown, intensifying Omar’s sense of uncertainty and the emotional strain felt by his family.
Omar shares his living space with three other men in a sparsely furnished house, each carrying their own hopes and worries. Farhad, an Afghan asylum seeker who is Zoroastrian, idolizes Freddie Mercury and has waited 32 months for a decision on his case. He even brings home a stolen chicken he names Freddie Jr., a small rebellion against the monotony of the process. The other two are Abedi, a 17-year-old from Ghana, and Wasef, a Nigerian, together forming a tight but tense group under pressure. Their days unfold with awkward cultural awareness classes led by Helga and Boris, where they navigate unfamiliar norms and try to fit into a system that often feels indifferent to their needs.
The trio and their housemates share their dreams, fears, and theories about how their isolation might be used to break their spirits. Wasef dreams of football glory, hoping to play for Chelsea F.C., while Abedi and the others debate what relationships might look like when distance, culture, and suspicion color every encounter. They know that, as single men, they are considered low priority in the wider asylum process, a fact that weighs on how seriously their voices are heard. Evenings are often spent watching episodes of Friends, a cultural touchstone that sparks lively debates between Abedi and Wasef about love, friendship, and the dynamics of trust in relationships. In these quiet conversations, the film threads together themes of hope, resilience, and the everyday choices people make when the future feels uncertain.
Cast: Claudia Boseli, Elisa Romero, Léo Possatti
