Chasing the Dazzling Light
Director Yaser Kassab followed in his father’s footsteps, emigrating from Syria to Europe as a young man, and, like his father, he also aspired to become a filmmaker. They now work together on this film remotely. From Syria, the father provides guidance to his son over the phone or via video calls, offering advice on future film projects and life in general—loving conversations punctuated by well-intentioned parental guidance.
| Director | Yaser Kassab |
| Actor | Justine Pignato |
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With this third film, Yaser Kassab completes an introspective trilogy, begun with On the Edge of Life (2017), when he was forced to leave Syria. This final installment marks a new stage of an exile shared with Rima, while also exploring the silences and connections that persist, despite the distance, with those who remained in the country. Sweden, with its melancholic landscapes and the onset of winter, becomes the backdrop for an atmosphere blending sadness, nostalgia, and a strange serenity. At the heart of the film, the family relationship is shaped through absence and words exchanged from afar. The father, a central figure, embodies both an artistic mentor for his son and the ghost of an unfinished dream—the unfulfilled desire to become a filmmaker himself. Today, it is Yaser, now a filmmaker almost by accident and by the force of circumstances, who carries the project alongside his father. The film also captures the arduous journey of exiles, full of endless administrative hurdles and persistent uncertainties: should one finally settle or leave again? A quiet poetry emanates from every shot, conveying a deep and introspective reflection.
Justine Pignato
Researcher in film and media studies
and programmer
-
Français
1h03
Language: Français
Subtitles: Français -
English
1h03
Language: English
Subtitles: English
- Année 2023
- Pays Syria, Qatar, Sweden
- Durée 63
- Producteur Zenloop Productions AB
- Langue Arab
- Sous-titres French, English
- Résumé court A filmmaker tries to overcome the distance that separates him from his family in Syria by embarking on a collaborative filmmaking project with his father.
- Mention festival Best First Feature Award · Envision Competition · IDFA 2023
- Ordre 3
- TLF_Applismb_CA 1
- Date édito CA 2025-11-21
With this third film, Yaser Kassab completes an introspective trilogy, begun with On the Edge of Life (2017), when he was forced to leave Syria. This final installment marks a new stage of an exile shared with Rima, while also exploring the silences and connections that persist, despite the distance, with those who remained in the country. Sweden, with its melancholic landscapes and the onset of winter, becomes the backdrop for an atmosphere blending sadness, nostalgia, and a strange serenity. At the heart of the film, the family relationship is shaped through absence and words exchanged from afar. The father, a central figure, embodies both an artistic mentor for his son and the ghost of an unfinished dream—the unfulfilled desire to become a filmmaker himself. Today, it is Yaser, now a filmmaker almost by accident and by the force of circumstances, who carries the project alongside his father. The film also captures the arduous journey of exiles, full of endless administrative hurdles and persistent uncertainties: should one finally settle or leave again? A quiet poetry emanates from every shot, conveying a deep and introspective reflection.
Justine Pignato
Researcher in film and media studies
and programmer
-
Français
Duration: 1h03Language: Français
Subtitles: Français1h03 -
English
Duration: 1h03Language: English
Subtitles: English1h03
- Année 2023
- Pays Syria, Qatar, Sweden
- Durée 63
- Producteur Zenloop Productions AB
- Langue Arab
- Sous-titres French, English
- Résumé court A filmmaker tries to overcome the distance that separates him from his family in Syria by embarking on a collaborative filmmaking project with his father.
- Mention festival Best First Feature Award · Envision Competition · IDFA 2023
- Ordre 3
- TLF_Applismb_CA 1
- Date édito CA 2025-11-21
