Dounia: The Great White North
Dounia and her grandparents adapt to life in Canada, exploring its diverse culture and landscapes. As they blend their Syrian, Quebecois, and Indigenous backgrounds, Dounia copes with wartime trauma and the absence of her father. Hope rises when he is freed from prison and, guided by Miguizou’s grandmother, the family is eventually reunited.
Canada
French dialogue, with Arabic & English subtitle
51 minutes
2023 (Middle East Premiere)
Marya Zarif is a multidisciplinary artist with 15 years in screenwriting and direction, and a graduate of L’INIS. Born in Aleppo, she co-founded “Maison de la Syrie” to celebrate Syrian culture and “Je veux jouer” to support refugee children. Her recent works include the animated series “Dounia” and its sequel films. André Kadi, a graphic novel author and musician who moved to Canada in 2007, spent over 11 years at Frima Animation Studios. He founded a Bordeaux branch and a 2D animation studio, creating series like MaXi and Agent Jean. In 2018, he co-founded Du Coup Animation with Marie-Michelle Laflamme and later Du Coup Production. He co-directed the Dounia series with Marya Zarif.
