In 1940, as the Nazis advanced across Europe, the philosopher Walter Benjamin attempted to escape by crossing the border between France and Spain on foot. Tragically, his journey ended in suicide. The path he took, stretching from Banyuls to Portbou, has since been named the Walter Benjamin Way. Today, this route is traversed annually by hundreds of pilgrims who come to honor Benjamin’s memory, as well as the countless other exiles who fled fascism and war. Among them are the Republicans who escaped after Franco’s coup in Spain and those who sought refuge from Nazi atrocities during World War II.
The documentary film Walter Benjamin: The Aura of the Path, directed by Jacobo Sucari and co-produced by EUROM, delves into the historic and symbolic journey of Walter Benjamin’s final escape route. Through a poignant exploration of exile, memory, and resistance, the film invites viewers to reflect on the enduring legacy of those who fled oppression during one of Europe’s darkest periods. The documentary is set to make its world premiere at the Malaga Festival in 2025.
Country: Spain
Production: Asociación Multimedia de Acciones Culturales (AMA)
Year: 2024
Duration: 57 minutes
Script: Jacobo Sucari
Photography: Jacobo Sucari
Music: Tom Johnson
Editing: Jacobo Sucari, Raquel García
Cast:
Irina Warner, Roger Rull, Dominique Delpirou, Denis Lavant, Madeleine Claus, Alexandre Cloud, Lothar Eichhorn, Siegfried Joseph, Beat Röösli, Alex Wix, Michael Lowy