Bukra

Short Film (2024)

CREDIT: PRODUCTION DESIGNER

Writer / Director: Alex Aljouni

Director of Photography: Akina Van de Velde

Production Design: Zheng Wu & Rye Mandel

In a refugee camp on the outskirts of Nizip, Turkey, 11-year-old Amal, full of mischief and ambition, guards a makeshift soccer goal drawn on a red shipping container. When she wins a World Cup soccer ball on the inside of a soda cap, her determination to claim the prize leads her on a journey with Fouad, another young Syrian refugee. Despite facing obstacles such as language barriers and the absence of proper identification, Amal persists, driven by her dream of playing with a real soccer ball. However, her efforts are met with disappointment when she finds out Fouad’s family is going to Germany without her. Amidst the turmoil, Amal's father unexpectedly takes a day off to fulfill his promise to her. As they play soccer together, a poignant moment of connection emerges amidst the hardships of refugee life. Bukra means “tomorrow” in Arabic.