The Return, Life after ISIS (El retorno, la vida después del ISIS)
Sinopsis
Documentary. In the al-Roj camp in Northeastern Syria we see the harsh reality of a group of women trapped by their past as members of ISIS. Shamima Begum (UK) and Hoda Muthana (USA) left their countries manipulated by terrorist propaganda and hatred on social media. Does sincere regret deserve a second chance? Can it be justified that Western countries accept the return of their children, but reject that their mothers can do so? The two-year follow-up of the lives of Shamina, Hoda, Hafida, Nawal and Kimberly puts us in an uncomfortable place, but their testimony makes us understand the cruelty, abuse and misogyny they have lived through.
Alba Sotorra Clua is an independent filmmaker and producer, founder of the production company Alba Sotorra SL, based in Barcelona. She has worked in Syria, Afghanistan, Korea, Bosnia, Cuba, the USA, Guatemala, United Kingdom, Iran, Pakistan, Puerto Rico and Qatar, and has lived long periods in the Middle East. Her films have been premiered at international festivals such as Hot Docs, Shanghai International Film Festival, Karlovy Vary, and Seminci. Her projects include the documentary feature film Game Over (2015), which received the 8th Gaudí Award from the Catalan Film Academy and the New Talent award at the DocsBarcelona Festival; and Comandante Arian (2018), nominated for the Gaudí Awards for best documentary in 2019.
Presentation with the film's director, Alba Sotorra, and the festival's directors.
Sala Berlanga de la fundación SGAE
Spanish Female Authors Competition
Year of Production: 2021
Running Time: 90’
Countries: Spain and United Kingdom
Languages: English and Kurdish. Original version with Spanish subtitles
Director: Alba Sotorra
Script: Júlia Parés and Alba Sotorra
Producers: Alba Sotorra, Vesna Cudic, Sam Collyns, Poppy Dixon (Sky), Jack Oliver (Sky) and Jordi Ambrós (TVC)
International sales: Metfilms
Main Festivals and Awards: Audience Award and Young Jury Award Reteena, DocsBarcelona, Spain, 2021. Official Selection at the SXSW Film Festival, Hot Docs and the Cleveland International Film Festival.