Jan 27, 2016 damascus with love by syrian director mohamad abdul aziz is a syrian film that takes its viewers into the heart of damascus and captures the most stunning imagery of syria, one that is seldom. In the last few years, the syrian civil war has been at the top of the agenda for many publications and artistic circles. Damascus with love by syrian director mohamad abdul aziz is a syrian film that takes its viewers into the heart of damascus and captures the most stunnin. A syrian love story is the latest investigative documentary from award winning filmmakerjournalist sean mccallister. Twenty years and four sons later raghda has once again been imprisoned as the arab spring begins to take hold. For raghda and amer, it is a journey of hope, dreams and despair. And so mcallister begins his movie with a brutal twist of irony, a subliminal flash forward to a later reality in which our certainties about the arab. The documentary has been on the festival circuit as the situation in syria has captured the. Details of the film a syrian love story are revealed from his prison cell, sean mcallister could hear the screams of syria s revolutionaries. She was the bold one, 18 years old and happy to be done with school. A syrian love story reveals us the story of two people and their love, love for their family, and their beloved homeland being hammered by fate and war. The film interweaves its very personal narrative with a bigger political story. Sean mcallisters a syrian love story is another remarkable chapter in the english. When mcallister first meets their family in 2009, raghda is back in prison leaving amer to look after their 4 boys alone.
Comrades and lovers amer and raghda met in a syrian prison cell 15 years ago. A romance forms between a young finnish academic, leevi janne puustinen, and a struggling syrian refugee, tareq boodi kabbani. A syrian love story is now available on demand comrades and lovers amer and raghda met in a syrian prison cell 15 years ago. Raghda and amer fell in love in prison, incarcerated for protesting against the syrian regime. This film tells the poignant story of their family torn apart by the tyrannical assad dictatorship. Filming began in syria in 2009, prior to wave of revolutions and changes in the arab world at the time, raghda was a political prisoner and amer was caring for. Both of the lead actors are gay, and their chemistry in the film.
Theres a reason this is called a syrian love story, because it is a story about love with the syrian crisis as a backdrop. Feb 26, 2017 after establishing a successful career in london, editing and directing commercials, music videos and short docs, matthew edited his first feature documentary, collaborating with director sean mcallister on a syrian love story. A syrian love story is a 2015 british documentary by sean mcallister, detailing the hardships of a family in modernday syria. Filmed over five years, a syrian love story charts an incredible odyssey to political freedom in the west. Damascus with love by syrian director mohamad abdul aziz is a syrian film that takes its viewers into the heart of damascus and captures the most stunning imagery of. For raghda and amer, it is a journey of hope, dreams and. A story thats heartbreaking because its so human, and how such mundane problems can hurt us as much as seemingly apocalyptic crises. Amer was a palestinian freedom fighter and raghda was a syrian revolutionary.
Oct 14, 2015 a syrian love story could well be the quintessential document of the syrian war to date. Details of the film a syrian love story are revealed from his prison cell, sean mcallister could hear the screams of syrias revolutionaries. Bbc four storyville, a syrian love story, a syrian love. Oct 04, 2015 a syrian love story has its canadian premiere at the vancouver international film festival on monday. A story of love and hate 2008 the liberace of baghdad 2004 hulls angel 2002 settlers 2000 the minders 1998 working for the enemy 1997 news. A syrian love story wins grand jury prize at sheffield docfest. They fell in love and when released got married and started a family together. Winner of the grand jury prize at the sheffield docfest, sean mcallisters a syrian. They fell in love, got married, and had three sons.
A moving and often painful documentary about a devoted syrian couple united and then torn apart by. When sean mcallister first meets their family in 2009, raghda is back in prison leaving amer to look after their four boys alone. A syrian love story dogwoof documentary distribution. Damascus with love was first screened in the dubai international film festival. He was a palestinian freedom fighter and she a leftwing syrian. A syrian love story 2015 the reluctant revolutionary 2012 japan. They fell in love, got married and started a family. When mcallister first meets their family in 2009, raghda is.
Acting as his own oneman crew, mcallister is an entirely too casual cameraman and a frustrating interviewer, pressuring his. This is about love, but it could as well be called a syrian rage story or a syrian despair story. A syrian love story the 20year romance between two syrian revolutionaries serves to humanize the crisis there in sean mcallisters latest daring docu. The syrian movie ta3m al lemon english translated duration. The documentary, which premiered at the sheffield doc fest. A syrian love story confirms with clarity that the scars of war are profound and immeasurable. Trevor johnston of time out gave the film four stars and said, a syrian love story presents us first with the gnawing anxiety of life under the ruthless alassad regime, then the fresh challenges of a fractious, painful exile where damaged minds take time to heal, before we finally see the household become distant observers to the. The movie holds some controversy in the fact that it is about a minor sect of syrians, the syrian christians and syrian. A syrian love story 11th unhcr refugee film festival. Filmed across five years, the revolutionary documentary which snapped up the prestigious grand jury prize at sheffield docfest in june is a. A syrian love story aims to put names and faces to the problems in syria, making the film. The director sean mcallister travelled to syria 18 months before the arab spring looking for a real story that reflected the political turmoil in the country. This journalistic film offers scenes from a dissolving marriage against the background of a syria in flames.
Amer, 45, met raghda, 40, in a syrian prison cell 15 years ago. Jun 10, 2015 speaking of a syrian love story, chen, said the jury were enamored by this bergmanesque portrait of a relationship and love, taking place against an everchanging and tumultuous backdrop. Technically speaking, a syrian love story isnt much to look at. It was filmed in the yarmouk camp in damascus, infamous for its treatment of inhabitants, which included starvation.
Refugee revolutionaries pay price for freedom in a syrian. Film screens in britain amid refugee concerns this film is an intimate family portrait of the developing relationship of lovers amer and raghda who met in a syrian prison cell. A syrian love story 2015 as a revolution sweeps through the area, raghda and amer, who met in a syrian prison cell, find their love challenged by circumstance. A syrian love story human rights watch film festival. A syrian love story charts the stresses on the marriage of a syrian couple forced into exile as civil war takes grip of their homeland.
Filmed over 5 years, a syrian love story charts an incredible odyssey to political freedom. A syrian love story 2015 filmed over 5 years, a syrian love story charts an incredible odyssey to political freedom in the west. Documentary telling the story of a family torn apart by the assad regime in syria. Hard choices now beckon between participating in the epochal evolution of their beloved country and prioritising the familys safety. Filmed over five years, the film charts their incredible odyssey to political freedom. Filmed over 5 years, the film charts their incredible odyssey to political freedom. Sean mcallister begins his story in 2009 and since then for over 5 years, he documents the odyssey of the family and their lives as refugees. British director sean mcallister has documented the tragedy of a family fleeing from war, which has spoilt countless love stories.
By kieran guilbert reuters, london two political activists forced to flee syria in the midst of the arab spring struggle to reconcile their lives as lovers, parents, refugees and revolutionaries in the film a syrian love story, which follows one familys fiveyear fight for freedom. A syrian love story aims to put names and faces to the problems in syria, making the film personal and deeply emotional. When a syrian military defector smuggled photographs out of syria showing. A syrian love story has its canadian premiere at the vancouver international film festival on monday. Sep 10, 2015 11th zurich film festival border lines.
A syrian love story a documentary film by sean mcallister 2015 that follows comrades and lovers amer and raghda who met in a syrian prison. A syrian love story 2015 directed by sean mcallister. The film was released to international critical acclaim in 2015, picking up dozens of award nominations, including a. The unexpected success of the film is the fruit of an arduous journey that saw mcallister follow amer dauod and raghda hassan, the couple at the heart of the story, and their sons for five years in syria, lebanon and france. A syrian love story is a timely and necessary reminder of what syrian refugees face today.
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