Screened as part of NZIFF 2023

Dounia & The Princess of Aleppo 2022

Dounia et la princesse d'Alep

Directed by Marya Zarif, André Kadi

A young girl’s brave journey to find the new home which—she is sure—is waiting for her somewhere, provides the road map for this enchanting philosophical story, brimming with music, magic and myth.

Canada In French with English subtitles
72 minutes Colour / DCP

Producer

Judith Beauregard

Screenplay

Marya Zarif

Animation

Marie-Michelle Laflamme

Music

Pierre Yves Drapeau

Voices

Rachaf Ataya
,
Elsa Mardorissian
,
Manuel Tadros
,
Raïa Haidar
,
Marya Zarif
,
Naïm Jeanbart
,
Mustapha Aramis
,
Houssam Ataya
,
Irland Côté

Festivals

Annecy 2022; New York International Children's 2023

Square Eyes Age Recommendation 8+

Elsewhere

“Bold of spirit and wild of hair, six-year-old Dounia lives joyfully with her family in Aleppo, where she spends her time traversing the bustling souks, or marketplaces, teeming with delicious ingredients just right for her grandmother’s amazing dishes. Life is filled with kind neighbours, shared stories, and music until a gradually intensifying conflict brings a growing troop of soldiers to town. When the family is forced to pack up and join the global ranks searching for a safer place to call home, Dounia’s grandmother stuffs rosewater sweets and other fresh-baked, homestyle delights into her bulging suitcase. But all Dounia takes with her is a handful of nigella seeds, known in Syrian lore to have magical properties. Her handful of hope just might bear rewards in the form of the legendary princess of Aleppo and her guidance as the group journeys across Syria, the dangerous sea, and the daunting borders of Europe.” — New York International Children’s Film Festival.

At its heart, Dounia is a geopolitical story told through the eyes of a child, in which mythology and reality meet. It’s also a touching love letter to the grandparents who help raise us. It’s her grandmothers cooking, the cherished recipes that connect Dounia and her family so deeply to their heritage and beloved city; and her grandfather’s love of music, that offer moments of celebratory lightness, even in the most challenging of times, which add much enchantment to the story.

Seamlessly blending the magic of childhood with the difficult reality of life in a war-torn country, this endearing story poetically and delicately addresses exile, migration and the plight of refugees, offering a timely and pertinent all-ages entry point to discussion around the importance of respect and understanding for all global citizens. — Nic Marshall