Abounaddara Collective's 'Journey in Winter' Explores Refugee Experience Through Material Absence
The Syrian film collective Abounaddara presents 'Journey in Winter,' a 2016 short film examining displacement through material absence. The anonymous filmmakers, based in Syria, focus on the belongings refugees leave behind rather than those they carry. The work features an unseen narrator describing how families sold possessions to fund dangerous winter journeys. Abounaddara's approach, described as 'emergency cinema,' challenges mainstream media representations of conflict and migration. The collective has released over 450 videos since 2011 and received the 2014 Sundance Short Film Grand Jury Prize. Their work aims to empower local populations and reclaim narrative agency.
Key facts
- Abounaddara is an anonymous Syrian film collective producing short films since 2011
- Their 2016 film 'Journey in Winter' focuses on material possessions left behind by refugees
- The collective won the 2014 Sundance Short Film Grand Jury Prize for 'Of Gods and Dogs'
- They describe their approach as 'emergency cinema' challenging mainstream representations
- The collective has released weekly videos and maintains a Vimeo channel with over 450 works
Entities
Artists
Institutions
- Sundance Festival
Locations
- Syria