Movie Screening: ‘From One Exile to Another’

Join the Arab American Cultural Center and Students for Justice in Palestine at UIC for the screening of the film “From One Exile to Another” by Basela Abo Hamed, followed by a Q&A with the filmmaker.

About the Film
In this film, director Basela Abo Hamed tells the story of her father, Hamed Abo Hamed, who, at the age of 12, was forced out of his village Ijzim (Northern Palestine) when Israel was created (The Nakba) in 1948.

Abo Hamed’s family sought refuge initially in Jenin, then in a village in the Ramallah area, Kufur Ni’mah, and eventually in Damascus, Syria, where they ended up in the Yarmouk Refugee Camp. In 2012, the Syrian revolution erupted and the Yarmouk Camp was bombed and nearly destroyed by the Syrian regime’s warplanes with heavy support from Russia. The family along with most residents of the Camp fled the area and headed to the unknown. Ultimately, they landed in Marseille, France, where they are currently living. Unfortunately, Hamed Abo Hamed will never see Palestine again as he passed away in 2018 and was buried in Marseille.

About Film Director
Basela Abo Hamed was born in Damascus, Syria, in 1968. Both her parents were Palestinian refugees. She holds a degree in natural sciences and a diploma in education. She has taught physics and chemistry at the middle school level. Currently she works at the family’s restaurant Yasmine (Marseille, France) and sings Palestinian songs with a local group. She became a French citizen three years ago.

For information or accessibility, email us at arabamcc@uic.edu