Roots in the Middle

In the film, individuals Italian-Arab personalities are sharing their feelings, their own stories, and their perspectives gained from experiences and struggles throughout a whole life of questioning and internal doubt, to reach an answer regarding the question of “Belonging”.
As they live between two societies, two worlds, and two identities, asking themselves "Who am I?", "Where do I belong?”, is it possible to belong to both sides at the same time?
The film is primarily concerned with showing and exposing these feels and contradictions, not finding a specific answer or categorizing people (and characters) on one side or another, but rather leave this to the characters and what they feel.

  • Farida Kilani
    Director
  • Farida Kilani
    Producer
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Student
  • Runtime:
    10 minutes 45 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    April 29, 2019
  • Country of Origin:
    Italy
  • Country of Filming:
    Italy
  • Language:
    Arabic, Italian
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes
Director Biography - Farida Kilani

Farida Kilani is a Palestinian-Italian filmmaker and content creator. She was born in Rome, and with a strong feeling of being connected to another place as well, she went to study Radio and Television in the Palestinian city of Nablus.
During her studies, she produced many media materials and film experiences, including a documentary about the city of Nazareth, showing and telling the story of the city between its past and its current reality, through its residents and grandparents.
Her least short documentary, Roots in the Middle (2019), raises the issue of Arab of the second generation in Italy, and their sense of conflict within themselves questioning over their lifetimes “Who am I?” and “To where do I belong?”, and how it reflects on their lives, the place and the societies they're living in, between two identities.

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