Experiencing Interruptions?

The Pianist of Yarmouk

ᴀʀ العَرَبِيَّة‎: https://vimeo.com/325947878 (aeham :كلمة المرور)
ᴅᴇ deutsch: https://vimeo.com/318776710 (passwort: aeham)
ᴇʟ ελληνικά: https://vimeo.com/322070102 (Κωδικός πρόσβασης: aeham)
ᴇs español: https://vimeo.com/310958352 (contraseña: aeham)
ғʀ français: https://vimeo.com/316270468 (mot de passe: aeham)
ɪᴛ italiano: https://vimeo.com/317271436 (password: aeham)
ᴘᴛ português: https://vimeo.com/337418171 (senha: aeham)
ʀᴜ русский: https://vimeo.com/323923985 (пароль: aeham)
ᴛʀ türkçe: https://vimeo.com/320516215 (şifre: aeham)

The real-life story of Aeham Ahmad: a classically-trained musician attempting to escape the war in Syria. Aeham rose to international prominence in 2014, after being filmed singing songs of peace amid the rubble of his beloved hometown of Yarmouk – a besieged Palestinian refugee camp on the outskirts of Damascus, Syria.

Surrounded by war, starvation and displacement, he sought to bring hope to the children of Yarmouk, and spread a message of friendship to the outside world. When invading fighters threatened his life, Aeham was forced to flee with his wife and children, embarking on a perilous voyage across land and sea.

This 13-minute debut documentary film by producer/director Vikram Ahluwalia combines animation, original music and interview, with performance and archive footage, to share Aeham’s remarkable journey.

  • Vikram Ahluwalia
    Producer
  • Vikram Ahluwalia
    Director
  • Elliot Manches
    Co-Director
    DAM (2007)
  • Daniel Murtha
    Lead animator
    Open Plan (2016)
  • Elliot Manches
    Editor
    DAM (2007)
  • Aeham Ahmad
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Genres:
    Biography, War, Music, Documentary, Refugee
  • Runtime:
    12 minutes 45 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    May 1, 2017
  • Production Budget:
    1,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    Germany
  • Language:
    Arabic
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Jecheon International Music & Film Festival (JIMFF)
    Jecheon
    Korea, Republic of
    August 8, 2019
    Official Selection
  • Andaras Film Festival
    Fluminimaggiore
    Italy
    July 5, 2019
    Official Selection
  • Stirling Silver Screen Film Festival
    Stirling, ON
    Canada
    June 22, 2019
    Official Selection
  • Piggy Bank International Short Film Festival
    Jaipur
    India
    June 15, 2019
    Official Selection
  • Kaniv International Film Festival (Kanivfest)
    Kaniv
    Ukraine
    May 17, 2019
    Official Selection
  • Festival Política
    Lisbon
    Portugal
    April 28, 2019
    Official Selection
  • Festival Internacional de Cine La Picasa (FICILP)
    Cinco Saltos
    Argentina
    January 30, 2019
    Official Selection
  • Inshort Film Festival
    Lagos
    Nigeria
    December 27, 2018
    Official Selection
  • LIFFT India Filmotsav-World Cine Fest
    Pune
    India
    December 6, 2018
    Official Selection
  • Lost Land International Short Film Festival
    Manchester
    United Kingdom
    November 18, 2018
    Official Selection
  • FICEE
    Ciudad Rodrigo
    Spain
    November 9, 2018
    Winner: Denis Rafter Special Award
  • Refugees Welcome Film Festival
    Berlin
    Germany
    October 29, 2018
    Official Selection
  • Kaohsiung Film Festival International Short Film Competition
    Kaohsiung City
    Taiwan
    October 20, 2018
    Official Selection
  • Afghanistan International Human Rights Film Festival
    Kabul
    Afghanistan
    October 1, 2018
    Official Selection
  • East Cinema
    Bali
    Indonesia
    September 29, 2018
    Official Selection
  • Universal Kids Film Festival
    Istanbul
    Turkey
    September 20, 2018
    Official Selection
  • Strano Film Festival
    Capestrano
    Italy
    August 23, 2018
    Official Selection
  • Festival International du Film Amateur de Kélibia (FIFAK)
    Tunis
    Tunisia
    August 12, 2018
    Official Selection
  • San Benedetto Film Fest
    San Benedetto del Tronto
    Italy
    July 16, 2018
    Official Selection
  • Busan International Kids and Youth Film Festival (BIKY)
    Busan
    Korea, Republic of
    July 11, 2018
    Official Selection
  • Freedom Film Festival
    Lakeland, FL
    United States
    July 3, 2018
    Winner: Best Documentary
  • Marin County International Festival of Short Film & Video
    San Rafael, CA
    United States
    June 30, 2018
    Official Selection
  • Beer Town Film Festival
    Burton on Trent
    United Kingdom
    May 26, 2018
    Official Selection
  • Festival of Nations
    Weyregg
    Austria
    May 18, 2018
    Official Selection
  • Short Film Corner - Festival de Cannes
    Cannes
    France
    May 14, 2018
  • Rassam International Short Film Festival
    Tehran
    Iran, Islamic Republic of
    May 2, 2018
    Official Selection
  • Darbhanga International Film Festival
    Darbhanga
    India
    April 20, 2018
    Official Selection
  • Feminist Border Arts Film Festival
    Las Cruces, NM
    United States
    April 16, 2018
    Winner: Jury Prize
  • East End Film Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    April 14, 2018
    Official Selection
  • Utah Film Festival and Awards
    Vineyard, UT
    United States
    April 5, 2018
    Official Selection
  • Nazra Palestine Short Film Festival (Gaza)
    Gaza City
    Palestine, State of
    November 24, 2017
    Official Selection
  • Arab Film Festival (Los Angeles)
    Pasadena, CA
    United States
    October 26, 2017
    Official Selection
  • Boston Palestine Film Festival
    Boston, MA
    United States
    October 23, 2017
    Official Selection
  • Nazra Palestine Short Film Festival (Naples)
    Naples
    Italy
    October 19, 2017
    Winner: Youth Jury Prize
  • Arab Film Festival (San Francisco)
    San Francisco, CA
    United States
    October 18, 2017
    Official Selection
  • Twin Cities Arab Film Festival
    St. Paul, MN
    United States
    October 1, 2017
    Official Selection
  • Nazra Palestine Short Film Festival (Venice)
    Venice
    Italy
    September 28, 2017
    Official Selection
  • Asia Peace Film Festival
    Karachi
    Pakistan
    September 18, 2017
    Official Selection
  • Marquee on Main
    Washington, NC
    United States
    September 15, 2017
    Official Selection
  • The Short Cinema
    Leicester
    United Kingdom
    August 25, 2017
    Official Selection
  • London X4
    London
    United Kingdom
    July 1, 2017
    Winner: Best Film Direction
  • Pachuca Film Fest - Festival Internacional de Cine de Hidalgo
    Hidalgo
    Mexico
    July 1, 2017
    Official Selection
  • Salento Finibus Terrae
    Prato
    Italy
    June 30, 2017
    Official Selection
  • Caribbean Film Festival & Market
    Miami, FL
    United States
    June 24, 2017
    Official Selection
  • Nassau Film Festival
    Princeton, NJ
    United States
    May 21, 2017
    Official Selection
  • Timişoara Refugee Art Film Festival
    Timişoara
    Romania
    May 13, 2017
    Romania
    Official Selection
  • Mosaïques Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    October 15, 2016
    Preview Screening (rough-cut version)
  • Refugee Week at Southbank Centre
    London
    United Kingdom
    June 19, 2016
    Preview Screening (rough-cut version)
Director Biography - Vikram Ahluwalia

Vikram Ahluwalia (producer/director) works in the NGO sector producing campaigns and events in support of human rights and humanitarian causes. He has curated major projects for Amnesty International, The Guardian and International Alert as well as a range of grassroots organisations. This is his first film.

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