The crew of the non-governmental sea rescue vessel "Lifeline" has been stuck in Malta for several weeks now. After the rescue of over 450 refugees from distress at sea, Captain Claus- Peter Reisch must stand trial and the ship remains confiscated for its duration. Hopes for a speedy trial are dwindling more and more.
What is it like to be forced to wait while people are drowning just a few miles away?
No News, the feature film debut by Lennart Hüper, accompanies the crew during the period of sitting tight, waiting for a redeeming and anchor-lifting judgment. Ten months—"You could have had a baby in that time!”—during which life out there goes on. Out there, on land and in the ocean, along the deadliest route of escape from Libya to Italy.
Sober documentation of everyday life on the ship is interwoven with reports about displaced persons dying in the ocean, the emergency calls on the marine radio tell in staccato takt about boots in distress….