Sichat Hayom

Why are two modern Buddhist countries fighting over an ancient Hindu temple because of a bad French map from the early twentieth century? By documenting this modern conflict over an ancient temple this film addresses a critical question for our times: How does culture matter in matters of war?

In 2001, the Taliban government of Afghanistan destroyed the Buddhas of Bamiyan, the world's tallest stone sculptures. By the summer of 2002, after the fall of the Taliban, more than 250 Afghans, most of them Hazara refugees, were living in caves beside the rubble. This film, organized chronologically over four seasons, follows a refugee family living there, including Mir, a smiling lad of eight. The landscape is stark, the winter is harsh, the refugees' stories are harrowing, Mir's school is crowded and ill equipped, helicopters move across the sky, and the roads carry mostly military vehicles, yet Mir's family hopes for a house and a bright future.

Healing Waters is a documentary film which tells the uplifting and compelling story of Project Healing Waters. The group is a non-profit organization started at Walter Reed during the height of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts that contributes to the emotional and physical rehabilitation of our Wounded Warriors through fly fishing activities and outings. The film profiles participants and the life changing impact the program has had on their recovery as well as the history and success of Project Healing Waters as it has spread to over 130 VA facilities across the U.S.

Syrian Kurds are at the crossroads of two main geopolitical issues in the Middle East: on one side, the battle for the future of Syria; on the other side, the long struggle of Kurds in the whole region to achieve recognition, autonomy, possibly independence. Among them, more than 200,000 have fled Syria and taken refuge in Iraqi Kurdistan. How do they eke out a living? What kind of hospitality are they receiving? How do they manage to reconcile their double identity - Kurdish and Syrian - and which one prevails?

Warriors from the North is about young Somali-Scandinavian men, who leave their comfortable everyday life in Scandinavia to become fighters - even suicide bombers, in Somalia - one of the most dangerous and impoverished places in the world.