Celebrating 20 Years of Life Unscripted
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Director
Lacey Uhlemeyer
Producer
Kareem Mortimer, Tanja Tawadjoh, Trevite Willis
Country
United States
Language
Arabic, English
Year
2025
Duration
90 min
Category
The Art of Storytelling
Premiere
World

The Dancer

Grd the dancer

Dancing his way to freedom.

For Ahmad Joudeh, a stateless refugee from Syria, dance is not a choice, it’s a lifeline – etched onto his very skin with the words “Dance or Die.” Having defied war and family disapproval to join the Dutch National Ballet, Ahmad found sanctuary in the Netherlands, becoming a UNHCR and LGBTQI+ Ambassador. But haunted by the trauma of his past, he makes a perilous decision: to return to Syria for the first time since the war, risking everything to bring the healing power of dance to a community still ravaged by conflict.

Chatgpt image may 29, 2025, 11 12 42 am

 

Q&A with Cinematographer Alyssa Brocato  at the Capital Cinema in Auckland.

In-Cinema Dates & Locations

Below are general public film screening schedules for each city.  For schools specific screening schedule, visit Schools In Cinema page.

 

  • 1 July 2025 - 8:30pm - The Capitol Cinema
  • 6 July 2025 - 6:00pm - Bridgeway Cinema

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