The pandemic has been, to put it mildly, a period of great challenge and pain. Divulging the deep-seated economic, environmental, and socio-political ailments of our time, it separated us from loved ones, restricted our movements, and got in the way of some of the most valuable features of living in this city; our rights and privileges to participate in issues that matter to us and to engage with one another.

After a two-year hiatus, SYFF returns with a selection of films that showcase the contrasting parallel lives of those who chose—or were forced—to leave their homes, and those who chose—or were forced—to stay.

Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/2022-syria-film-festival-tickets-420019328117

Opening Night - November 4

- Have A Nice Dog | Short Animation | Jalal Maghout |

Trapped in Damascus, with nothing but war and an escape fantasy, a lonely man embarks on an intense journey towards introspection. Losing himself to isolation, his dark thoughts begin to reflect in the behavior of his dog Barood.

- We Are From There | Documentary | Wissam Tanios

Two brothers in their mid 20s take a leap of faith and part ways to start a new life from scratch. For over five years, their odyssey is depicted through the lens of Wissam, who captures the journey of his cousins, bringing back childhood memories and questioning the true meaning of home while exploring the human ability to cope with change as radical as it may be.

Second Night - November 5

- Hibernate | Short Film | Houssam Hamo

When a child spots a young woman playing the accordion in the street, he falls under the spell of her performance and begins chasing her from one corner to the other, driven by his passion and fantasy of becoming a musician himself. But in a place where dreams are banned, how close could he get to making his own a reality?

- Khadija | Short Animation | Beshr Idlbi

Up until the uprising, Khadija was content with her ordinary life. Stripped of her loved ones, she must find a way to cope with her new reality, even if her coping mechanism comes at the expense of her sanity.

- Diyar | Short Animation | Moayad Alhariry

When darkness takes over and everything we hold dear is lost, how do we move forward? And what keeps the light of our memories alive? “Diyar”, is a poetic tale that speaks to anyone ever forced to abandon their homes and leave everything behind.

- Souls On The Other Strand | Short Doc | Majd Khalil & Samuel Skhieh

In the midst of a raging war where all lives are threatened, Mohammad decides to stay in Syria to look after animals that were abandoned or lost and give them the shelter and love they once had.

- The Neighborhood Storyteller | Documentary | Alejandra Alcala

At 16, Asmaa’s fate as a wife and mother had already been decided. But despite her grueling life as a refugee in the Zaatari camp, the young and education-deprived woman launches a read-aloud project to empower teenage girls and help them imagine a future of opportunities she did not have.

Closing Night - November 6

- So We Live | Short Film | Rand Abou Fakher

In a war-torn country, a family goes about their normal evening, tackling the casual matters of daily life. Their conversations casually shift from the mundane, to images of their wounds and aches, and their daily struggle to survive.

- The Story Won’t Die | Documentary | David Henry Gerson

Award-winning filmmaker David Henry Gerson gives us an inspiring and timely look at a young generation of Syrian artists, who use their work to protest and process what is currently the world’s largest and longest ongoing displacement of people since World War II. The uplifting documentary depicts what it means to be a refugee in today’s world, and offers inspiring and hopeful vantages on a creative response to the chaos of war.

Don't miss it!