Ballad for Syria

Award-Wining Musical Documentary by Eda Elif Tibet & Maisa Alhafez, 2017

A ballad, narrates poetic stories in short stanzas, hence this self-reflective musical documentary mirrors’ the life of Maisa Alhafez a musician and a Syrian refugee living in Istanbul. The film is about her longing to her loved ones as she tries to make a place for her self in the world of the displaced. Her family still in Syria, Maisa's true love (fiance) is in the Netherlands. As of the current EU-Turkey border regime, to unite is very challenging. Not giving up, Maisa works hard for her vision to transform the borders; by building a multicultural community “The oriental Istanbul Mosaic Choir”. A diverse family that sings together, in which she believes through music and love one can heal the wounds of her people and children.

AWARDS & SCREENINGS

Award of Recognition, by Hollywood Independent Documentary Film Festival, May 2017, California (USA).
Outstanding Achievement Award for Free Speech, by Calcutta International Cult Film Festival, India, May 2017.
official selection at DOCUMENTARIST , Istanbul-Turkey, June 2017
Official selection at DOCfeed, Eindhoven ,The Netherlands February 2017
Official Selection at Impact DOCS Awards May 2017, Italy
Roma Cinema Doc, Italy, June 2017
official selection, Largo Film Festival 2017
XXVI International Festival of Ethnological Film, Belgrade, Serbia. October 10-14 th, 2017.
Debut Theater, Tropen Museum Amsterdam theater cinema house, Nov 12, 2017
Erase & Rewind Photography and film screening exhibition, TAK Yeldegirmeni 25 October 2017
Istanbul ınternational architectural and urban Films festival, 28 October 2017
Emerging filmmakers Official Selection at Global Migration Film Festival , December 2017
UN Geneva special screening , Switzerland February 2018
Impact-Hub Istanbul ,2017
Ethnokino, Reitschule in der kino , Bern Switzerland , 2018
Koc University Istanbul June 2017
Bogazici University Nov 2017
Binghampton University, Nov2017 New York USA