Mediha

This compelling doc looks through the lens of Mediha Ibrahim Alhamad, a young Yazidi refugee who has had to grow up well beyond her years. Having survived kidnapping and enslavement by ISIS, Mediha and her younger brothers, Ghazwan and Adnan, must now attempt to rebuild their lives with the whereabouts of their father, mother, and baby brother unknown. Faced by local and international complexities, which continue to affect rescue and accountability efforts eight years after the genocide, the siblings must turn to a network of Yazidi rescuers in the search for their missing family members. The story takes place over three years, across Iraq, Turkey, and Syria, highlighting the ongoing and long-lasting impact of ISIS atrocities. Mediha takes us on her quest for justice, confronting her trauma and pain through personal video-diaries, and reclaiming her voice by initiating investigations into her perpetrator. The click of the camera that one can hear as the screen fades to black is the most powerful weapon at Mediha’s disposal, documenting her life in exile provides an intimate account of her grief and trauma. The portrait that emerges leaves us in awe of the budding activist, who has already lived many lives before living this one to the max – with dignity and immense courage.