Located at one of the continent's largest airports, the eponymous base is where hundreds of Parisian taxi drivers await their next fare. They are all migrants and being in a place where planes from all over the world constantly land gives them a substitute for contact with their homelands, often thousands of kilometers away. Each unique character who passes in front of the ubiquitous camera has dozens of anecdotes to share. The base is more than just a waiting room—it’s a place to meet fellow expatriates, share coffee, play ping pong, pray, and chat. The air buzzes with exotic rhythms, as suburban hip-hop blends with afrobeat. Constantly shifting protagonists and experimenting with camera angles, Vadim Dumesh crafts a captivating portrait of this unique microcosm, which reflects contemporary France.

Konrad Wirkowski