Madonna Adib

Short documentary “Between here and there”
This documentary attempts to answer the following question: What is the cost of physical freedom in a male dominated society that gives men the right to possess women’s bodies? To probe the consequences women bear when they break their preassigned fates and roles, the director spends time in Tripoli, Lebanon, with four young women from Hama, Syria, to discuss with them the consequences of leaving their families and removing the veil. The film follows their journey and the filmmaker’s one in removing her veil and leaving her Damascene society, socially and religiously.

The film narrates a story of a middle class family who lives in Damascus, and the journey they take visiting embassies in Beirut to seek refuge to flee the war. During the bombing and shelling that is happening, the parents worries are reflected on their seven year old daughter’s behavior towards her stuffed animal. The events of the story escalate to reach the climax where the parents lose their daughter and she’s found by the port to plants her parents dreams in her stuffed animal, and sends it on one of the boats to continue her life’s journey in a “better place”.