GHOSTLAND: A Journey Through Syria
(Syria & Poland, 2025 /// Documentary)
Film by
Matt Dworzańczyk
Featuring
Styria Comedy
Ahmad Al Khalaf
Wassim Alshrkeh
SkateAid Damascus
Issa Touma
IMDB
IMDB.com/title/tt35049449
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Syria… Such a culturally rich country, with such incredibly resilient people, and yet the ghosts of its tragic recent history are all around, some still very much alive…
Over a decade after the release of his eye-opening North Korea documentary, director Matt Dworzanczyk’s GHOSTLAND invites you to visit the the war-torn Arab state, not to dwell on the past nor make light of the hardship – but to experience today’s Syria from a perspective never shown in the news. That is – through the eyes of post-war Syria’s most creative locals, all striving to turn their collective traumas into beauty, peace and unity for their country.
a Glimpse of GHOSTLAND!
Healing War Trauma through Skating in Damascus
The Qudsaya Skatepark on the outskirts of Damascus is a rare place in post-war Syria where kids (and adults!) find fun and respite, after decades of brutal war, oppression and hardship.
Syria’s first Comedy Act helps people overcome years of Trauma
STYRIA, Syria’s first and only stand-up comedy troupe works to turn darkness into laughter, helping their community overcome years of tragedy and aiming to see their country move forward on a path of peace and reconciliation.
Visiting the War-destroyed Home of a Syrian Filmmaker
During the Syrian Civil War, Issa Touma, a photographer from Aleppo became stranded in his apartment, with the front line between the Syrian Army and opposition forces literally underneath his window. Risking his life, it was then that, from hiding, he shot his first documentary film titled “9 Days from my window in Aleppo“, a film which later went on to win multiple awards and reach millions of viewers online. Today, Issa still lives in Aleppo, working against new challenges to rebuild his own life as well as the art scene in his country.
Walk through a war-ravaged Syrian City
For four years during the Syrian Civil War, the city of Homs saw intense fighting between the Syrian army and anti-regime opposition groups, resulting in some of the worst destruction since the second World War… Just 15 years ago, Homs was well on the way to becoming a vibrant regional trade center, yet today all that remains are ruined reminders of lost hopes, dreams, lives.
GHOSTLAND premiered in Hanoi (Vietnam) in February 2025. Since then, we’ve held screenings across Asia, Europe and the Middle East, wrapping up the tour with the Syrian premiere in Aleppo in June 2025.
