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Syrian Girl's Journey: From War to Identity
24 Jan
Summary
- Filmmakers followed a Syrian family's escape from war in 2015.
- The family sought refuge and a new life in Cologne, Germany.
- The documentary explores challenges of assimilation and identity.
Filmmakers Itab Azzam and Jack MacInnes began documenting Israa's family in 2015 as they fled the Syrian Civil War, seeking refuge in Germany. Their journey, fraught with peril, began with Israa selling cigarettes in Izmir, Turkey, hoping to reach Greece and then Germany.
Upon arrival in Cologne, Germany, the family received support and integrated into a new community. However, as years passed, the film captures the complex realities of assimilation. Israa and her father, Tarek, experienced growing friction due to cultural differences, while her mother, Nisreen, sought independence.
The documentary "One in a Million" offers a longitudinal perspective on displacement and identity. It avoids totalizing narratives, instead presenting an absorbing, complex tale of a young Syrian woman and her family navigating profound challenges of integration and personal growth across borders.
