Film UNDER THE SKY OF DAMASCUS by Heba Khaled, Talal Derki and Ali Wajeeh

Syria, Denmark, Germany, USA 2023/ Director: Heba Khaled, Talal Derki and Ali Wajeeh/ Documentary/ 88 min. | Arabic. OmeU

UNDER THE SKY OF DAMASCUS shows young Syrian actresses in Damascus who are developing a play about harassment, discrimination and patriarchal violence. Using anonymous statements from countless women, Eliana, Inana, Farah, Grace and Souhir want to break taboos, but their feminist project suddenly faces unexpected hurdles. In an everyday life marked by war, internalized misogyny and violence against women, they encounter resistance from their families and even within the group. Dramaturgically, a dense web of relationships develops between the director, protagonists, crew and audience, making the patriarchal structures and struggles of the women visible.

Talal Derki, born in Damascus and based in Berlin since 2013, studied film directing in Greece. His award-winning documentaries RETURN TO HOMS, OF FATHERS AND SONS have won several awards and been nominated for an Oscar.
Heba Khaled, also born in Damascus, studied Arabic literature, worked for CNN and Reuters and won 16 international awards with her short film PEOPLE OF THE WASTELAND.
Ali Wajeeh, born in Latakia in 1985, is a film critic, author and dramaturgical consultant for Arab film and theater productions.