Hot Docs and Luminato Festival Toronto present two films that speak beautifully to the feelings of longing and remembrance that run through much of this year's Luminato festival programming.
The short film Rebel, together with the feature length documentary We Are from There, provide a framework for an illuminating panel discussion afterwards with Justine Abigail Yu, Leen Al Zaibek and Ahmed Moneka on experiences of displacement, movement, starting over and home.
Rebel | D: Pier-Philippe Chevigny | 15 min | 2019 | Canada
Six-year-old Alex is oblivious to the thousands of refugees entering Canada illegally, yet when his father takes him along to a vigilante patrol in the woods to hunt out trespassing migrants, something inside him tells him to rebel.
In French with English subtitles
We Are from There | D: Wissam Tanios | 82 min | 2020 | Lebanon & France
Two Syrian brothers in their mid 20s take a leap of faith and decide to start their lives from scratch in new cities, leaving behind everything but their determination, sense of humor and hope for a better future. Their cousin, dir. Wissam Tanios, films their journey over five years, bringing back some childhood memories and questioning the true meaning of home while exploring the human ability to cope with radical change.
In Arabic with English subtitles
Panel guests:
- Justine Abigail Yu, founder of Living Hyphen
- Leen Al Zaibak, co-founder and director of Jusoor
- Ahmed Moneka, musician, founder and leader of Moneka Arabic Jazz
Tickets: $15 (Members from $10)
Programmed in partnership with Luminato Festival Toronto.
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