Antonia Kilian
2021The Other Side of the River
Antonia Kilian
Hala Mustafa, Sosan Mustafa
To avoid a forced marriage, 19-year-old Hala finds refuge across the Euphrates River in northeastern Syria at a military academy where, while learning to fight, she vows to fight to free all women.
The Other Side of the River
The Other Side of the River
Antonia Kilian
Hala Mustafa, Sosan Mustafa
In order to avoid a forced marriage, 19-year-old Hala finds shelter across the Euphrates (North-East Syria), at a Military Academy for women. While learning how to fight, she gets inspired by the promise of freeing every woman. After the Kurdish military takes over her city from ISIS, Hala returns as a police force entitled to protect other women in danger. Hala finds herself ready to fullfil her greatest dream: to free her younger sisters from her father’s hand. The threat of a forced marriage and the brutal stories of female oppression lead more and more women to the other side of the river. They are trained in a strict military-style, taught that they have to protect themselves with weapons against the patriarchic society. But is there freedom to be found in a military system in the middle of war?
The Other Side of the River