New Short Film: AMAL

After nearly a year and a half since wrapping in 2023, Amal will finally premiere on January 12, 2025. Directed by Fatimah Zeni, the short film tells the deeply human story of a father and daughter trying to survive—and hold onto hope—in war-torn Aleppo, Syria.

Ali plays Bassam, a father who turns the terrifying sounds of falling bombs into a fun game to comfort his daughter, the titular Amal (played by Layla Hatahet). The short is inspired by a real-life video that went viral years ago, showing a father in Aleppo playing a similar game with his daughter to bring her joy amidst chaos.

Amal is TFKR Films' first narrative film, marking the beginning of the company’s journey to tell bold and meaningful stories that uncover moments of hope within adversity. It felt fitting for their inaugural film to carry the name Amal, which means "hope" in Arabic, embodying the essence of the stories they aim to tell. Given the tragedies happening worldwide, we hope a movie like Amal can help shed a positive light on the people in Syria and around the globe.

The premiere will take place in Brooklyn on Jan. 12th at a special event hosted by Public Square Amplified, a nonprofit newsroom amplifying local voices on global issues and proud supporter of our director Fatimah Zeni, who participated in their 2024 “Citizen As Journalist” program. You can RSVP for the event below, and stay tuned for future screenings as the film begins its journey in the festival circuits.