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?
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 Soumeya Bazi.
This screening is supported by Een van de jongens and WITFILM.
Soumeya Bazi is a writer, creative maker, presenter and activist. In her work, she weaves themes of decolonisation, spirituality and art with the personal and the mundane to contribute to a more just and gentle world.
Een van de jongens ( ‘One of the guys’) is the production company of producer Hasse van Nunen and director-producer Renko Douze. Together with filmmakers with a strong vision, they produce creative documentaries about the issues that matter. Or should matter. They’ve produced more than 20 films, that were screened and broadcast all over the world, and got awarded at Berlinale, IDFA, Full Frame a.o. But making films is about more than just making films. They're determined to unleash the full societal potential of our films. By placing important stories in unexpected contexts, they reach unusual audiences and improve their impact.