Surprising Europe is a cross medial project: a documentary, a nine partial television series and a website www.surprisingeurope.com; combined to give African immigrants a realistic idea of what Europe is like.
In 2003 the very successful photojournalist Ssuuna Golooba gives up his life in Uganda to test his luck
in Europe. He uses his house as collateral and manages to obtain a loan. After saying goodbye to his
6 year old daughter and family, he heads out in the search of a better future.
Once he arrives in Europe, he quickly realizes that there is nobody here actually waiting for him. He
lives in a cellar somewhere and gets by scrubbing toilets. Preferably Ssuuna would return to Africa as
soon as possible, but his dept and the potential loss of face, keep him from going back.
When in 2005 eleven undocumented died during the fire at Schiphol Airport, Ssuunna has had
enough. He decides to call out to his brothers and sisters and warn them about the difficulties of
surviving the European jungle. He must show the real Europe. But are his fellow Africans anxious to
let someone take away their dreams?
The documentary shows how Ssuuna’s idea expands to a nine partial television series, to be aired in
every country in Africa, and an interactive website where migrants in Europe can share their stories
and express their worries.
