Valley of Exile screening at the Bytowne Cinema

Name: Valley of Exile screening at the Bytowne Cinema
Start: 2024-07-04T18:30:00-04:00
Location: ByTowne Cinema

Schedule

Thu Jul 04 2024 at 06:30 pm

UTC-04:00

Location

ByTowne Cinema | Ottawa, ON

Join us for a screening of the feature film, Valley of Exile followed by a Q&A with director Anna Fahr and co-producer Habib Battah.
Set in the early years of the Syrian war, Valley of Exile chronicles the journey of Rima and Nour, two sisters who find unexpected refuge in a makeshift settlement in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley after fleeing war-torn Damascus. Older sister Rima, who is eight months pregnant, is set on reuniting with her husband and rebuilding their lives in Lebanon, while younger sister Nour is determined to find their missing brother and eventually returns home to Syria.
In the camp, the sisters forge alliances with other women who are similarly forced to live without the support of family they’ve lost to the war, which propels them onto separate paths. As days in the camp turn to weeks, Rima and Nour begin to realize that their journey together into exile is not only a struggle for survival, but ultimately a test of loyalty to their country, their family and each other.
Valley of Exile premiered at Cinequest Film Festival in August 2023, where it won the Jury Award for Best Feature Drama. It has since screened in 15 international festivals on four continents, winning 9 awards, including the Emerging Canadian Director Award at Vancouver International Film Festival and DGC Award for Best Director at Canadian Film Fest.
Valley of Exile's screening at the Bytowne Cinema marks the director's hometown premiere and promises to be an unforgettable night. ✨✨ We hope to see you there!