Shadi

The last call for the flight to Stockholm is announced over the speakers. Shadi stands outside the gate and holds her mothers skirt as tight as she can. The mother caresses Shadis braided hair, and then tears her fingers apart from her daughter, and a man forces Shadi onto the plane. Shadi is eleven years old and all alone on her way to an unknown world. She ends up at an orphanage for unaccompanied children in Stockholm. But flashbacks from the war and nightmares make it hard for Shadi to tell the difference between reality and fantasy. The only thing she wants is to be with her mother again. And so one night she hears her mothers voice in the hall.

Directed by Zanyar Adami, Shadi leans on a strong ensemble — Beri Aydin, Alexandra Rapaport, Siham Shurafa — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2014.