It is 2014 and a man is filming his day-to-day life on a digital camera. His experience, however, is that of a group of men attempting to travel from Africa to Europe.
A documentary's main focus is to share the truth with the world. But there is always a question of how much is edited, or even staged, from the beginning. David Bingong’s The Travelers, however, feels as close to truthful and realistic as he could make it.
Written by Hailey Passmore
Between the boundaries of Morocco and Spain, a group of migrants attempts to cross the border. In 2014, Bingong himself experienced firsthand how it feels and what it is to make this type of journey. With his small handheld camera and a group of fellow travellers, Bingong documents his personal life-changing experience. The group of men traveling together has no ulterior motive when on camera. Bingong’s film feels like it began simply as a documentary for the self and turned into something more many years later.
Opening the film, Bingong introduces his audience to the dark. The viewer is unable to see what is going on. This feels as though he purposely chose to begin sharing his footage here, at this point. He wants his audience to feel as lost and confused as he and his fellow travellers felt. They could not see anything and they did not know what was going on.
Right away, as a member of the audience, it feels like you are watching a documentary that wants to be honest and truthful. There is no agenda here, apart from a story wanting to be shared with the world. Nothing seems fictionalized or staged, as some documentaries are. Bingong set out to capture the moments he experienced with his friends. His footage does not make the viewer believe he had originally planned to deliver it through the film medium as he now has. But in doing so, in sharing his 2014 footage with the world, he has shared a life-changing experience that many people go through. An experience that no one should have to have, and yet, it occurs all too often.
A traveller’s dangerous journey, and the bonds that were formed through friendships along the way. Bingong’s final cut showcases the men he got to know. In such a tenuous time and experience, they could have gone at it alone. Instead, they chose to travel the land together and free themselves from the treachery of their home country. As they spend each day and night repeating most of the same, they provide each other with company and entertainment to help them make it through. What becomes wondrous to the viewer is how these men were able to make it through each day and want to continue the next. They face the greatest odds and yet they remain hopeful and forceful in their endeavours.
In this powerful documentary, David Bingong has shared his story with the world. The story of a group of travellers who simply wish to lift their families up. All they want is a better life. Without adding anything extra, and by simply showing what he filmed back in 2014, The Travelers is pure at heart. Though is raises the question about how true documentaries can be, it is in their case that they have shown us their truth.
The Travelers is slowly making its way out into the world, with it most recently premiering at the London Film Festival on October 16, 2025. The film shares an intense and impactful story about one strong group of men. It shares nothing but the treachery they must face, and many others continue to face, on one lengthy journey. Their story deserves to be shared with the world for all to see.
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