Shadows

The film tells the story of 14-year-old Ahlam, a young mother fleeing Baghdad—the only place she has ever known. In a desperate attempt to regain control over her own fate, Ahlam struggles not only with the physical challenges of escape but also with her own fears.

As she moves through the chaotic space of Baghdad Airport, filled with symbolic obstacles, she confronts her past while searching for freedom and a new beginning. Her solitary journey follows a path shaped by memory, identity, and the courageous decisions that define the life of a young woman trying to find “home” where it may no longer seem to exist.

Post-screening discussion

Themes explored in the film: escape, the desire for freedom, confronting the past, motherhood in times of crisis, identity and the search for home, the body, decision-making, women’s rights.