Mijn vader, Nour en ik

Filmmaker Wiam Al-Zabari fled with his family from Iraq to the Netherlands. Since then, there has been no mention of these shared experiences within his familiy. Now that Wiam is a father himself, he finds himself confronted by his past life in Iraq. It raises questions. Why did they have to flee in the first place? And how did the flight and arrival in the Netherlands affect the rest of his life? To find out, Wiam breaks the silence for the first time and starts talking with his family. For himself, but also for the new generation. The fact that they were born on Dutch soil is hopeful, but Wiam senses that he needs to work through his own past or he might risk passing on his trauma to his children. Can he let go of the past to embrace a future in the Netherlands? 

About the programme

Wiam is not the only one struggling with his past. Many families in the Netherlands (whether they experienced World War II, or more recently fled from Syria, Afghanistan, Ukraine or other areas) have to find a way to deal with their (often traumatic) past while also trying to make a new life for themselves. If we don't process this past properly, it's almost impossible to move forward, also for future generations. Wiam really benefited from opening up about his flight with his family. He'd like to share this experience with others. That is why the film is going on a special impactprogram tour, which luckily also passes by VOX-POP! After watching the film, we will discuss the themes of the movie and listen to each other's stories. To what extent are you defined by the history of your parents? How does a traumatic family past affect your idenitty today? To answer these questions with each other, a discussion will be led by trained moderator Soumaya Bazi.

This screening is supported by Een van de jongens, WITFILM, and the Faculty of Humanities Diversity Office.