For many asylum seekers in France, the National Court of Asylum, or CNDA (Cour nationale du droit d’asile), represents their last chance to be granted asylum in the country. With their applications having already been rejected by the French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons (Ofpra), these men and women come, still hopeful, to the CNDA in the suburbs east of Paris. In this documentary by Yaël Goujon, FRANCE 24 looks at the inner workings of the justice system for asylum seekers in France, criticised by some as too lenient and too harsh by others.
No cameras have been allowed, until now, to film hearings at the CNDA, which handles up to 70,000 cases per year. Located in Montreuil, east of Paris, the CNDA is the last hope for asylum seekers in France who have already had their applications rejected by the Ofpra.
Within the CNDA, everything happens in a matter of minutes. Having lodged a final appeal with the court, asylum seekers come face-to-face with civil servants from the Ministry of Justice, who decide their fates.
In this film, we follow asylum seekers, their lawyers as well as court judges and interpreters to better understand the workings of the justice system for asylum seekers in France.
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