Description
Myriam François’ directorial debut, Finding Alaa tells the story of a grandfather, Azdyne Amimour, searching for his 5-year-old granddaughter Aicha; the daughter of an ISIS terrorist responsible for the 2015 Paris Attack.
Believing her to be in a refugee camp in Northern Syria, Azdyne begins a journey to save her in a way that he could never save his son. The film explores themes of guilt and innocence, identity and belonging, as we meet the ‘other victims of ISIS’ – the families torn apart in its wake, trying to atone for crimes they never committed.
This special screening will be followed by an interview with the director, Myriam François.
About the Speaker
Dr Myriam François
Dr Myriam Francois is an award-winning journalist, filmmaker, and presenter whose work spans television, documentary, and digital media. A former host of The Stream on Al Jazeera English, she now presents the acclaimed current affairs YouTube show The Tea with Myriam Francois. Her documentaries for the BBC, Channel 4, and Al Jazeera have been widely praised, and her directorial debut Finding Alaa (BBC/CBC) premiered at Hot Docs and the Nobel Peace Centre in Oslo, was selected for BAFTA consideration, and won Best Documentary at Flicker Fest 2024. She holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Oxford and speaks internationally on journalism under fire, civil liberties, feminism, and Islamophobia.
About the Chair
Yousra Samir Imran
Yousra Samir Imran is the author of semi-autobiographical novel Hijab and Red Lipstick, which was longlisted for The Diverse Book Awards in 2021. She is also a freelance journalist. Her bylines include The New Arab, Al Jazeera, The New York Times Magazine, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar and Stylist. Yousra is a commentator on contemporary issues in Muslim societies, gender justice in the Middle East and women’s rights in Islam.
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