Logline
After winning a soccer ball in a sweepstakes, a young Syrian refugee must race to claim her prize and play one final game with her best friend before he's gone forever.
Synopsis
Set in a Syrian refugee camp in Turkey, Bukra tells the story of 11-year-old Amal, whose greatest dream is to play soccer with a real ball rather than the one she and her best friend Fouad crafted from scraps of cloth and twine. When she spots a message under her cola bottle cap promising a chance to win an official World Cup soccer ball, what once felt impossible suddenly seems within reach. Driven by hope, Amal sets out on a journey to the city to claim her prize, unintentionally creating a distance that strains her friendship with Fouad and deepens her longing for a closer connection with her father.
Poster & Stills
Soundtrack
Director's Statement
How do we promise a better tomorrow to those who may never attain it?
I grew up in Syria during the war, where bombings, gunfire, and violence became an everyday backdrop. Absurd as it sounds, you learn to tune it all out; you acclimate to fear being a part of daily life. Yet, one thing your mind and body refuse to cope with is the loss of hope.
Living in a war zone or a refugee camp is a relentless reminder that dreams often go unfulfilled, whether that’s building a family, studying to become an astronaut, or in my case, becoming a filmmaker.
Through Bukra, I hope to offer a new perspective on the Syrian refugee experience, one that doesn’t rely on violent imagery but instead invites its audience to see through the eyes of a child.
It’s a story of resilience, of humanizing the crisis, and of revealing how war doesn’t just destroy homes, but futures.
- Alex Aljouni
Written & Directed by
Alex Aljouni
Starring
Lamitta Saloum
Laith Nakli
George Namy
Mohamed Ewis
Gamze Kececi
Producer
Adrian Clark
Director of Photography
Akina Van de Velde
Production Designers
Zheng Wu
Rye Mandel
Costume Designer
Danielle Best
Editor
Victoria Santorsiero
Co-Editor
Alex Aljouni
Composer
Noé Cervantes
Sound Editor
Ian Howard / MonkeyLand
Colorist
Rory Gordon / FotoKem LA