CANNES, France (AP) — It may be the most topical film at Cannes — but "Mediterranea" — a searing account of a desperate African migrant who travels by boat from Burkina Faso to Italy — is not just pulled from the headlines. It's been years in the making and is based on a true story. First time director Jonas Carpignano — who's half African-American, half-Italian — evoked the real-life experiences of his roommate and lead actor in the film, Koudous Seihon. Seihon witnessed shootings, race riots, violence and faced near-constant discrimination after he took the perilous trip by foot, car, bus and boat to southern Italy as a 20-year-old father seeking to support his family. Despite its small 1 million-euro ($1.1 million) budget, Carpignano's film, which was screened at the Critics Week, has already garnered great attention for its highly personal portrayal of Europe's great migrant crisis. "We're constantly bombarded and desensitized (about migrants).Read more on NewsOK.com