The Roots of Madness

Synopsis

Why are so many people forced to become refugees? Veteran German journalist Ulrich Tilgner makes his last trip across Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Niger, searching for answers. He explores the impact of wars, arms trade, political alliances and Western interventions on forced migration over the years. Witnesses, survivors and resistors-in-process reveal the decisions, interests and responsibilities behind the crises so often viewed from a distance. The film interweaves footage from Tilgner’s 40-year archive with contemporary testimonies, and questions the role of the US and Europe in cycles of violence and highlights the effect of these policies on the Middle East and Western democracies today.

Director Biography

Edgar Hagen

Swiss documentary filmmaker, director, and producer based in Basel, where he works with Vollbild Film GmbH. He studied Philosophy and German Literature at the Free University of Berlin. Since 1989, he has directed mainly feature documentaries. His films have premiered at international festivals including Locarno, DOK.fest München, DOK Leipzig, IDFA, and Visions du Réel. From 2010 to 2020, he served on the board of the Swiss Filmmakers Association, and from 2013 to 2022 headed the documentary directing program at FOCAL.

Credits

Cinematography / Sinematografi

Börres Weiffenbach, Soran Katheri, Michael Hammon, Michael Terhorst

Editing / Kurgu

Christian Büttiker, Audrey Maurion

Music / Müzik

Tomek Kolczynski

Sound / Ses

Mathias Hefel, Jean-Pierre Gerth, Oscar van Hoogevest, Jörg Hoehne

Production / Yapım

Edgar Hagen, Mathias Hefel, Gudula Meinzolt