Following the story of a former ISIS captive, the documentary ‘Mediha’ tells the remarkable story of the resilience of a young girl named Mediha coming to terms with her life after being held captive by ISIS, with the help of her film camera. The documentary follows her journey as she searches for her missing family members and helps investigators identify her captors.
Mediha had its world premiere at Doc NYC 2023 where it won the Grand Jury Prize. It has also been screened at other film festivals including the 28th Human Rights Watch Film Festival, the 10th Mammoth Lakes Film Festival where it won the Best Documentary Feature Award, and the 29th Stony Brook Film Festival where it won the Grand Prize Award.
Release Date
Directed by Hasan Oswald, ‘Mediha’ opens in New York at Film Forum on October 11, 2024, Los Angeles at Laemmle Royal on October 18, 2024, and additional cities on October 25, 2024.
Synopsis
Mediha is the story of one girl’s fight to find her missing family members, revealing the strength and determination of a young survivor as she reclaims her voice and future. From Executive Producer Emma Thompson, this award-winning film from Hasan Oswald is an incredible story of resilience.
Mediha, a teenage Yazidi girl, turns her camera on herself to process her trauma after surviving ISIS captivity. As she bravely faces her past, Mediha and her younger brothers, Ghazwan and Adnan, now strive to rebuild their lives despite the uncertain fates of their father, mother, and baby brother.
The complexities of both local and global operations continue to hinder rescue efforts to this day. Eight years after the genocide, the siblings must rely on a network of rescuers in their quest to reunite their missing loved ones.
Over the course of three years across Iraq, Turkey, and Syria, the story highlights one girl’s extraordinary spirit. Through her personal video-diaries, she confronts her pain as she initiates investigations into her captors. Mediha’s journey is one of courage and determination as she steps towards a future of justice and healing.
Reviews
Amber Wilkinson in an Eye For Film review gave the documentary a score of 4/5, writing, “Through it all, Mediha remains a marvel, finding the inner strength to be there for her brothers at the same time as steeling herself to try to identify her kidnapper.”
Lovia Gyarkye from Hollywood Reporter also gave the documentary a glowing review, writing, “By entrusting Mediha with the camera, Oswald has given her and her brothers an opportunity to exercise hope. They in turn have offered audiences a sacred invitation.”
Official Trailer
Watch the official trailer for ‘Mediha.’