Sandu (Ovidiu Balan), a thirteen year old gypsy, wants to go to Canada. His burning desire is to leave. A desire shared with five others - two women, two men, and a child, all stowaways. Six people, six lives, six destinies brought together in search of a better life.

The voyage lasts more than a week. They stowaway in freight containers and suffer great thirst, hunger, and most all, fear. They must conquer this fear, not give in, and not loose their senses. They must make it to the Promised Land.

In the middle of the ocean, the boat breaks down. They have finished their last provisions of water and food, yet the crew is unrelenting in their determination to prevent all stowaways from reaching land. Sandu leaves the container and begins to explore the ship. All their hopes lie in him, yet the sailors are following his tracks.

Since the beginning of the 90's, more than a thousand refugees have arrived illegally in Canada on cargo ships asking for political asylum in the port of Montreal. Most of them come from Africa and Eastern Europe. Stowaways is a film that touches upon sharing, fear, violence, but also love.

Clandestins (Stowaways) (Switzerland/Canada/France - 1997) will come out in France on May 6, 1998.

Director & Screenplay: Denis Chouinard and Nicolas Wadimoff
Producer: Eve Vercel, Robert Nador et Chantal Berheim
Music: Bill Laswell
Photo: Sylvain Brault
Editing: Christian Marcotte
Sound: Paul Lainé
Decors: Ivan Niclass
Cast: Ovidiu Balan, Anton Kouznetsov, Moussa Maaskri, Simona Maicanescu, Hanane Rahman, Cristelle Sabas.
Distribution: Mars Films
Running time: 97 minutes