We Syrians are haunted by the wind. The saying goes, “be ready, the past is coming.” And I say, “be ready, Syrian films are coming like the wind.” -Ahmad Alhaj
REVOLUTION OF THE WIND is a series of autobiographical Syrian fiction and documentary films exploring migration, grief, memory and history following the political instability of the Arab Spring. Within this program, the wind is understood to be the central metaphor that represents destiny and which links the films together. Whether through unleashing its wrath, or by leading in flight, the wind is an element that guides the lives of countless people in ways unseen. Primarily shot across North America and Europe, the films present deeply humanizing narratives of Syrian experiences, shedding light of the contradictions and irreconcilable realities of longing for a past that haunts the present.
REVOLUTION OF THE WIND is curated by Ahmad Alhaj and presented by ArteEast. This program is part of the legacy program Unpacking the ArteArchive, which preserves and presents 20 years of film and video programming by ArteEast. The program will be screened online on artearchive.org from April 11 - 21. The in-person screening takes place on Sunday, April 21 at IAIA, Institute of Arab and Islamic Art.
Would You Play it Again (2021)
Mudar is a Syrian actor, flew to Germany by a visa from Beirut, he researches refugee’s journeys who came walking on their feet, for his theater play and explores the real experiences that immigrants lived throughout their road. After his meeting with a Syrian filmmaker Ammar Obeid, Mudar wants to stand naked outside in the cold of his backyard.
About the Filmmaker:
Ammar Obeid was born in 1993, in Alswayda, Syria. SInce 2017, he is based in Berlin, where he currently works as an independent artist exploring visuals and sounds, through mediums such as short and documentary films, image making as well as experimental music. His work focuses on complex questions about migration, integration and the influence and effects of trauma on individuality, human behaviors and communication.
Obeid holds a bachelor’s degree in Japanese literature from Damascus University. This has been one of the main elements that has influenced and improved his practice as an artist. Currently his focus is on the production of the film “I was here,” which tells the story of a Syrian migrant through Japanese instruments of storytelling using the mediums of Ghibli.
- Year2021
- Runtime20 minutes
- LanguageEnglish, Arabic
- CountryGermany, France
- Subtitle LanguageEnglish
- DirectorAmmar Obeid
- ProducerAmmar Obeid
We Syrians are haunted by the wind. The saying goes, “be ready, the past is coming.” And I say, “be ready, Syrian films are coming like the wind.” -Ahmad Alhaj
REVOLUTION OF THE WIND is a series of autobiographical Syrian fiction and documentary films exploring migration, grief, memory and history following the political instability of the Arab Spring. Within this program, the wind is understood to be the central metaphor that represents destiny and which links the films together. Whether through unleashing its wrath, or by leading in flight, the wind is an element that guides the lives of countless people in ways unseen. Primarily shot across North America and Europe, the films present deeply humanizing narratives of Syrian experiences, shedding light of the contradictions and irreconcilable realities of longing for a past that haunts the present.
REVOLUTION OF THE WIND is curated by Ahmad Alhaj and presented by ArteEast. This program is part of the legacy program Unpacking the ArteArchive, which preserves and presents 20 years of film and video programming by ArteEast. The program will be screened online on artearchive.org from April 11 - 21. The in-person screening takes place on Sunday, April 21 at IAIA, Institute of Arab and Islamic Art.
Would You Play it Again (2021)
Mudar is a Syrian actor, flew to Germany by a visa from Beirut, he researches refugee’s journeys who came walking on their feet, for his theater play and explores the real experiences that immigrants lived throughout their road. After his meeting with a Syrian filmmaker Ammar Obeid, Mudar wants to stand naked outside in the cold of his backyard.
About the Filmmaker:
Ammar Obeid was born in 1993, in Alswayda, Syria. SInce 2017, he is based in Berlin, where he currently works as an independent artist exploring visuals and sounds, through mediums such as short and documentary films, image making as well as experimental music. His work focuses on complex questions about migration, integration and the influence and effects of trauma on individuality, human behaviors and communication.
Obeid holds a bachelor’s degree in Japanese literature from Damascus University. This has been one of the main elements that has influenced and improved his practice as an artist. Currently his focus is on the production of the film “I was here,” which tells the story of a Syrian migrant through Japanese instruments of storytelling using the mediums of Ghibli.
- Year2021
- Runtime20 minutes
- LanguageEnglish, Arabic
- CountryGermany, France
- Subtitle LanguageEnglish
- DirectorAmmar Obeid
- ProducerAmmar Obeid