In 2011, Saeed and Milad decide to leave Damascus to go to Douma (Eastern Ghouta) and take part in the Syrian revolution. Events move fast: Douma is set free by the rebels, the revolutionary enthusiasm spreads among the youth, then it is war, the siege, famine… They filmed life in Douma for more than 4 years, from the initial euphoria up to the distress and disenchantment which have settled over the years.
SCREENINGS & AWARDS
World Premiere – Venice International Film Critic’s Week, 2018
2018 Festival Internacional de Cine de Valdivia
2018 Zagreb Dox
2018 Jihlava International Documentary Film Festival
2018 Copenhagen Syrian Doc Days
2018 CineMigrante
2018 Palestine Cinema Days
2018 Verzio International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival
2018 Ontario Syria Film Festival
2019 Göteborg Film Festival
2019 DocPoint
2019 FICUNAM
2019 FICCI
2019 One World International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival
2019 Luxembourg City Film Festival
2019 Marrakech International Film Festival
2019 Portland International Film Festival
2019 FIFDH
2019 One World Romania Film Festival
2019 Cinéma du réel – Popular Front(s)
2019 PUCP – Festival de Cine de Lima
2019 Hong Kong International Film Festival
2019 Arab Film Days Festival
2019 Festival 7ème Lune
2019 Vilnius International Film Festival
2019 Docudays Ua
2019 BAFICI – Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Film
2019 Jeonju International Film Festival
2019 Arab Film Festival
2019 Beldocs International Documentary Film Festival
2019 Documenta Madrid
2019 Transatlantyk Festival
2019 The Olhar de Cinema Curitiba, Brazil
2019 Rencontres du film documentaire de Mellionnec
AWARDS
- Grand Prize, Audience Prize, Edipo Re Award, FIPRESCI Prize, Fair Play Prize, International Prize for the best technical contribution at Venice International Film Critic’s Week 2018
- Special Mention at Festival Internacional de Cine de Valdivia 2018
- Best director under 35 at Zagreb Dox 2018
- Special Mention at Jihlava International Documentary Film Festival 2018
- Grand Prix at FIFDH 2019
- Prix Lune d’Or at Festival 7ème Lune 2019
- RIGHTS NOW Award at Docudays Ua 2019
- Young Talent Critic Award at Transatlantyk Festival 2019
- Prêmio de Contribuição Artística at The Olhar de Cinema 2019
PRESS
Reviews: The Holywood Reporter (EN), Brown Political Review (EN), Otros Cines (ES), Cineuropa (EN), The National News(EN), The Daily Star (EN), Screen International (EN), Interviews: AlJumhuriya.net (EN)
DIRECTOR’S BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY
Saeed Al Batal
Born in 1988 in Tartous, Syria, Saeed Al Batal is a citizen journalist, photographer and filmmaker. He has led numerous workshops in photography and news reporting, and has worked as a reporter for various radio stations and wrote articles on Syrian current affairs for agencies and institutions worldwide. He is one of the founders of an online gallery entitled “Sam Lenses” and the “Humans of Syria” project.
Ghiath Ayoub
Born in 1989 in Yabrod, Syria, Ghiath Ayoub is a filmmaker and visual artist, and a graduate of the faculty of Fine Art at the University of Damascus. He is the co-founder of a number of open spaces across Beirut. Ghiath also participates in various civic initiatives such as “Humans of Syria”, graphic design work, and films that have featured on websites and in exhibition spaces globally.
CREDITS
Direction Saeed Al Batal & Ghiath Ayoub
Camera Abel Al Rahman Al Najar, Saeed Al Batal, Rafat Beram, Ghith Beram, Milad Amin, Ghiath Ayoub, Tim Siofi, Soleiman Al Naaeb
Editors Raya Yamisha & Qutaiba Barhamji
Sound editor and sound mixing Pierre Armand & Nans Mengeard
Artistic Advisor Rania Stefan
Postproduction Coordinator Nora Bertone
Producers Mohammad Ali Atassi, Jean-Laurent Csinidis, Meike Martens
Production company Bidayyat for Audiovisual Arts
Co-production Films de Force Majeure, Blinker Filmproduktion
WITH SUPPORT FROM
World Cinema Support – CNC – French Institute
World Cinema Fund
Berlinale
Doha Film Institute
Cinefeel Dotation
Federal Foreign Office
Goethe Institut
German Cooperation
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit
With the help of Studio Lemon
PRODUCER’S BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY
Mohammad Ali Atassi
Mohammad Ali Atassi is a journalist and documentary filmmaker. His research interests include film and media studies, sociology, Middle Eastern studies, Islam, human rights, art and politics. In 2013, he founded Bidayyat for Audiovisual Arts, Beirut and Damascus, where he is currently Executive Director. He has directed four documentary films: Our Terrible Country (2014), Ibn al-am Online [The Cousin Online] (2012), Waiting for Abu Zaid (2010) and Ibn al-am [The Cousin] (2001). Among his film awards are Best Audience and Best Youth Jury Awards, Punto de Vista Festival, Pamplona, Spain (2015); Grand Prize, International Competition, FID Marseille (2014); Best Film, International Competition, Forumdoc Festival, Belo Horizonte, Brazil (2014) and Best Syrian Documentary Prize, Dox Box International Documentary Film Festival, Damascus (2011).
Atassi has authored a number of articles and interviews in academic and cultural journals such as Open Society (2016), Le Soir (2015) and New York Times (2011)
He received a diploma in civil engineering from Damascus University (1992) and a DEA in History from the Sorbonne, Paris IV (1996). Born in 1967 in Damascus, he currently lives and works in Beirut.
PRODUCTION COMPANY
Bidayyat for Audiovisual Arts
Mohammad Ali Atassi
Beirut, Lebanon
info@bidayyat.org
+961 1 443 026
https://bidayyat.org/
CO-PRODUCTION COMPANY
Films de Force Majeure
Jean-Laurent Csinidis
14 rue Montgrand, Marseille, France
contact@films-de-force-majeure.com
+33 (0)4 84 18 30 33
http://www.films-de-force-majeure.com
Blinker Filmproduktion
Meike Martens
Mülheimer Freiheit 126, Köln, Germany
mm@blinkerfilm.de
+49 221 5397460
http://www.blinkerfilm.de
