Bürglkopf

Out of Sight

At an altitude of 1,300 meters, the Bürglkopf Return Center is situated on top of the mountain of the same name in Tyrol. Asylum seekers are housed there, with the aim of pressuring them to leave Austria—through "return counseling" but primarily through the isolation itself. The idyllic Alpine landscape becomes the setting for a  bizarre encounter of refugees, locals, and tourists. Nearby, the mountains of Kitzbühel serve as a winter sports destination, with state-of-the-art gondolas ferrying vacationers from around the globe to the mountaintops. Meanwhile, the residents of Bürglkopf face a three-hour hike on foot to descend from the camp to the valley. The film offers a glimpse into Europe's isolationist policies, embodied in return centers and deportation camps.

Source: Filmfestival Max Ophüls Preis 2025