From My Syrian Room plot
How do you stay true to yourself in a dictatorship that erases your individuality like an eraser and breeds a culture of fear? The Syrian Hazem Alhamwi (1980) retired to his room and found freedom in drawing. When the revolution breaks out in 2011, the filmmaker and artist does not immediately dare to confront his inner demons. Instead, Alhamwi explores his memories, from his childhood to the present – and thus the freedom of his people. In front of the camera in his room, his old art teacher, girlfriend Rhina (unrecognizable in the picture) and former political prisoner Ghassan share their experiences with the brutal regime of father and son Assad. Alhamwi's drawings illustrate the shared fear and despair.