Modern Films to Release NEZOUH in Cinemas on 3 May 2024

Modern Films is pleased to announce the release of the film NEZOUH in cinemas across the UK and Ireland on 3 May 2024.

Written and directed by Soudade Kaadan, it tells the story of a family wanting to stay put in their house in war torn Damascus, rather than flee as refugees. While devastation and danger surround them, love and idealism keep them grounded and safe, even as abomb hits them directly and their roof comes crumbling down. As they are held captive by their situation, they somehow find personal freedom.

Shot by celebrated cinematographer Hélène Louvart (La Chimera, Happy as Lazzaro, The Lost Daughter), the film contains a magical realism in its look and feel, that suspends reality while also never shying away from the atrocities that surround them. Co-cinematographer Burak Kanbir contributes to the authentic sense of time, place and space.

The film is in Arabic and stars Syrian actors Samer Al Masri and Kinda Alloush, alongside newcomers Hala Zein and Nizar Alani.

Kaadan says of the film and of her own experience: “It is only after the bombing started in our neighbourhood in Damascus that I left the house with my sister. Damascene society was conservative, even in liberal families. With the new wave of displacement, it became normal (for the first time) to see young Damascene women living alone and separating from their families. Myself, and many of my friends, started to make decisions we would never make before. Now, sadly, there is no more society, something new has occurred.”

She adds: “The word ‘nezouh’ means in Arabic the displacement of souls, water and people; it is the displacement of light and darkness. NEZOUH tries to talk about this inevitable invasion of light and hope in the midst of this chaos.”

Billed as a “new, beautiful and enchanting feminist coming-of-age drama from an award-winning Syrian filmmaker … that offers a powerful and moving perspective on the Syrian conflict,” it will screen as part of the upcoming Woman with a Movie Camera film series at the BFI Southbank, before further previews and its theatrical release in early May.

NEZOUH had its World Premiere in Orrizonti Extra at the Venice Film Festival, where it won both the Armani Audience Award and Lanterna Magica Award. It went on to win the Amnesty International Human Rights Award at Rome Med Film Fest and Special Mention as part of Cannes Cinéphiles, alongside screening in Competition at the BFI London Film Festival and being nominated for two BIFAs (Best Lead and Best Effects). Produced by Berkeley Media Group (Yu-Fai Suen), KAF Production (Soudade Kaadan), Ex Nihilo (Marc Bordure), it is a UK-French-Syrianco-production, majority funded by BFI and Film4.

Kaadan’s filmography includes feature documentary Obscure (CPH:Dox 2017), narrative feature The Day I Lost My Shadow (Lion of the Future award for Best Debut at Venice Film Festival 2018) and short film Aziza (Sundance Grand Jury prize 2019).