In a Syrian border village in the early 1980’s, little Sero’s first school experience is colored by his teacher’s zealous attitude. To enable paradise to come to earth, the teacher forbids the Kurdish language, orders the veneration of Assad, and preaches hate of the Zionist enemy- the Jews. These lessons confuse Sero because he has loving, positive relationships with his Jewish neighbors. Sero dreams of having a television so he can watch cartoons. But he also experiences how the adults in his midst are increasingly crushed by the despotism, violence, and nationalism surrounding them. Inspired by the director’s personal experiences, the film connects the Syrian tragedy of his youth to the present situation in Syria.
In Partnership with Facing History and Ourselves