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MORNING BIRD PICTURES
  • Home
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    • NEW RELEASES >
      • Valley of Exile
    • In development >
      • Beirut in Between
      • Return to the Valley of Jews
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​VALLEY OF EXILE
​

Drama | 106 minutes | 2024 | Canada, Lebanon
​Written and directed by Anna Fahr

Produced by Anna Fahr and Lara Abou Saifan
Executive Producers: Paul Scherzer and Aeschylus Poulos
​Distribution: Game Theory Films (Canada)
​World Sales: House of Film


NOW AVAILABLE to rent or buy in Canada

APPLE TV
VIMEO ON DEMAND
Valley of Exile   is a beautiful story of resilience made with enough heart and sincerity that you can’t help but feel it’s a story told from the
​inside of its conflict."

- Movie-blogger.com
​

The film is a testament to the strength and bravery of the women dealing with impossible conditions but finding a way to carry on."
- Splash Magazines
​
Picture

UPCOMING SCREENINGS
​

MESA Film Festival (Online) 
November 14 to December 2nd, 2025
To view the film, CLICK HERE **
**Open to conference registrants only


FESTIVAL DU FILM ARABE DE FAMECK 
(Fameck, FRANCE) 
(Fameck, FRANCE) *IN COMPETITION
Friday, October 3 at 11:00 AM - Serémange-Erzange Grand Ecran
Friday, October 10 at 8:45 PM - Serémange-Erzange Grand Ecran Ecran *Lead actress Maria Hassan in attendance
Sunday, October 12 at 5:30 PM
- Fameck 1 Salle Jean Mor
For tickets, CLICK HERE
For programming info
, CLICK HERE
MARKET SCREENINGS

CANNES MARCHE DU FILM (Cannes, FRANCE) 
Digital market screening on May 19th, 2025 at 2pm (ONLINE #3)

Sales Agent: House of Film, Palais -1 Booth 21.01
For appointments, availabilities and screeners, please contact:

[email protected]


EUROPEAN FILM MARKET (EFM) (Berlin, GERMANY) 
February 13-19, 2025 - Marriott Lobby, House of Film table
For EFM appointments, availabilities and screeners, please contact:
[email protected]


FESTIVAL SCREENINGS
​

SOFIA MENAR FILM FESTIVAL (Sofia, BULGARIA)
Sunday, January 19 at 5:00 PM at Cinema House
Tuesday, January 21 at 7:30 PM at Vlaikova Cinema

For programming info, CLICK HERE
​

MOSTRA DE CINEMA ARAB I MEDITERRANI DE CATALUNYA (Barcelona, SPAIN)
Saturday, November 16 at 9:00 PM at Filmoteca
For programming info, CLICK HERE

MIDDLE EAST NOW (Florence, ITALY)
Sunday the 20th of October at 4:15 PM
*Director Anna Fahr and lead actress Maria Hassan in attendance 
For programming info, CLICK HERE

FESTIVAL DU FILM LIBANAIS DE FRANCE (Paris, FRANCE)
Thursday, October 17th at 8:00 PM
For programming info, CLICK HERE

*Director Anna Fahr and lead actress Maria Hassan in attendance ​

ORAN INTERNATIONAL ARAB FILM FESTIVAL (Oran, ALGERIA)
Monday, October 7 at 5:00 PM

*Director Anna Fahr in attendance for the Q&A
For programming info, CLICK HERE

CUENCA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 
(Cuenca, ECUADOR)
Tuesday, September 24th at 3:00 PM - CASA DE LA BIENAL
For programming info, CLICK HERE
​

LEBANESE FILM FESTIVAL AUSTRALIA (Bankstown, AUSTRALIA)
Sunday, August 18th at 6:00 PM - Hoyt Cinemas (Bankstown)
For ticketing info, CLICK HERE

​
SHANGHAI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (Shanghai, CHINA) 
Friday, June 14th at 8:40 PM - Palace Cinema (Raffles City ChangNing)
Monday, June 17th at 1:00 PM - Premiere Cinema (Jing An Kerry Center)
Thursday, June 20th at 6:30 PM - CGV CInemas (Sinar Mas Plaza IMAX)
Saturday, June 22nd at 6:30 PM - AMG Cinema (Shanghai Global Harbor)
Sunday, June 23rd at 3:30 PM - SFC Shangying Cinema (Dingxiang)
For programming info, CLICK HERE
For ticketing info, CLICK HERE

​
TORONTO ARAB FILM FESTIVAL (Toronto, ON) 
Sunday, June 23rd at 7:00pm
Innis Town Hall, 2 Sussex Ave, Toronto, ON
For programming info, CLICK HERE

*Director Anna Fahr and Co-producer Habib Battah in attendance 

LEBANESE FILM FESTIVAL IN CANADA (Montreal, QC) 
Sunday, June 2 at 7:30pm
J.A. de Sève cinema, 1400 de Maisonneuve Blvd W., Montreal
For tickets, CLICK HERE
*Director Anna Fahr and Co-producer Habib Battah in attendance 

HARLEM INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (New York, NY) 
​**WINNER: BEST FILM
Sunday, May 26 at 1:45pm
Maysles Documentary Center
343 Malcom X. Blvd.
For programming info, CLICK HERE


KANSAS CITY FILMFEST INTERNATIONAL
**WINNER: BEST WORLD CINEMA NARRATIVE FEATURE & AUDIENCE AWARD FOR BEST WORLD CINEMA
(Kansas City, MO) **MISSOURI PREMIERE
Thursday, April 11 at 7:00pm CDT
Ward Parkway Theatre 6

For programming info, CLICK HERE
​
BEIRUT INTERNATIONAL WOMEN FILM FESTIVAL

(Beirut, Lebanon) **MIDDLE EAST PREMIERE
Tuesday, April 16 at 8:00pm Beirut time
Grand Cinemas, ABC Dbayeh (Hall 7)

**RED CARPET EVENT - Cast & crew in attendance
For programming info, CLICK HERE

AFLAM FESTIVAL (Marseille, FRANCE) **FRANCE PREMIERE
Friday, April 19 at 10:00am GMT+2, MUCEM
For programming info, CLICK HERE
**Virtual Q&A with Director Anna Fahr following the screening


​PHOENIX FILM FESTIVAL
(Phoenix, AZ) 
**ARIZONA PREMIERE
Friday, April 5 at 3:15pm MST

Saturday, April 6 at 9:00am MST
Sunday, April 7 at 2:40pm MST
For programming info, CLICK HERE

**Director Anna Fahr in attendance

CANADIAN FILM FEST 
(Toronto, ON) 
TORONTO PREMIERE
**WINNER: DGC Ontario Best Director Award
Thursday, March 21 at 9:00pm - Scotiabank Theatre
For programming info, CLICK HERE

**Director Anna Fahr & Co-Producer Habib Battah in attendance


SOCIALLY RELEVANT FILM FESTIVAL (New York, NY) 
NEW YORK PREMIERE
**WINNER: GRAND PRIZE - NARRATIVE FEATURE & BEST ACTRESS - NARRATIVE FEATURE

Friday, March 15 at 9:15pm - Cinema Village
For programming info, CLICK HERE
**Director Anna Fahr & Co-Producer Habib Battah in attendance


​CALGARY ARAB FILM NIGHTS (Calgary, Alberta) 
Sunday, October 22nd at 6:30pm
For programming info, CLICK HERE

​
​
WINDSOR INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (Windsor, Ontario) 
Friday, October 27 at 3:25pm
For programming info, CLICK HERE

​​MOSTRA SAO PAULO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 
(Sao Paulo, Brazil) LATIN AMERICAN PREMIERE

**WINNER: Best Art Direction
Thursday, October 19th at 7:00pm CIRCUITO SPCINE - BIBLIO. ROBERTO SANTOS **
Sunday, October 22nd at 3:00pm - CINEMATECA SALA GRANDE OTELO **
Sunday, October 29th at 4:00pm - CIRCUITO SPCINE OLIDO
Tuesday, October 31st at 6:45pm - CINE SATYROS BIJOU
For programming info, CLICK HERE
**Director Anna Fahr & Co-Producer Habib Battah in attendance

​
WARSAW FILM FESTIVAL (Warsaw, Poland) 
EUROPEAN PREMIERE

Saturday, October 7th at 4:30pm
Thursday, October 12th at 6:30pm **
Friday, October 13th at 9:00pm **
Saturday, October 14th at 11:00am **
​For programming info, CLICK HERE

**Director Anna Fahr,  Producer Lara Abou Saifan, actor Michel Hourani and Co-Producer Habib Battah in attendance

TALLGRASS FILM FESTIVAL (Wichita, Kansas) 
MIDWESTERN PREMIERE

Thursday, October 5th at 12:00pm
For programming info, CLICK HERE

​
VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 
(Vancouver, BC) 
CANADIAN PREMIERE
**WINNER: Emerging Canadian Director Award

Saturday, September 30th at 9:15pm
​Sunday, October 1st at 9:00pm
For programming info, CLICK HERE

**Director Anna Fahr in attendance

​
CINEQUEST FILM FESTIVAL (San Jose, USA) WORLD PREMIERE
**WINNER: Jury Award, Best Feature Drama
Saturday, August 19th at 7pm and Thursday, August 24th at 11:15am
For programming info, CLICK HERE
​
**Director Anna Fahr and Co-Producer Habib Battah in attendance

LOGLINE

​Two sisters arrive in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley at the onset of the Syrian war, embarking on a journey into exile that tests their loyalty to their country, ​their family and each other.


​SYNOPSIS​

Set in the early years of the Syrian war, Valley of Exile chronicles the journey of Rima and Nour, two sisters who find unexpected refuge in a makeshift settlement in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley after fleeing war-torn Damascus. Older sister Rima, who is eight months pregnant, is set on reuniting with her husband and rebuilding their lives in Lebanon while younger sister Nour is determined to find their missing brother and eventually return home to Syria.​

In the camp, the sisters forge alliances with other women who are similarly forced to live without the support of family they've lost to the war. This propels them onto separate paths: Rima finds work as a housekeeper, hoping to earn money to rent an apartment before her baby is born, while Nour sets out to investigate their brother's whereabouts, risking her own safety in the process.
​

As days in the camp turn to weeks, Rima and Nour begin to realize that their journey together into exile is not only a struggle for survival, but ultimately a test of loyalty to their country, their family and each other.
​
Valley of Exile is more than a film about war; it is a testament to the enduring strength of the human spirit. It confronts the audience with the harsh realities of displacement and loss, while simultaneously offering a message of hope and resilience." 
​
-Letterboxd

CRITICAL ACCLAIM


​“A beautiful story of resilience.” 
- Movie-Blogger.com


“Compelling and completely authentic.”
- Splash Magazines


​“Seamless if not magical.”
- A Little Bird Told Me   


“Emotional and evocative.”
- Sergiu Inizian, Eye For Film


“A small jewel of cult cinema.”
​- Felipe Brida, DVD Magazine


“Emotional and clear.” 
- Film Threat


“Superb performances.” 
- Movie-Blogger.com


“A compelling watch.” 
- 
Robert K Stephen, Film Critic
​


“A bold testament to the resilience and strength of refugee women.”  
-
 The Daily Hive

"A hymn to sisterhood and solidarity that transcends borders.”
​
- Festival du film arabe de Fameck

​
“A beautiful-looking, heartbreaking film that will stick with you long after you’ve stepped away from it and into the light.” 
-
 Write Drunk; Edit Drunk


“There's a great humanity to Valley of Exile that Hassan and Hosni display with force and delicacy.” 
-
 The Asian Cut


“The film teaches us the endurance of women who weave their lives with the threads given to them, with what was not planned, with the regret of what could have been, and the fear of not knowing where we are going.” 
​
-
 L'Orient Le Jour
​
​
THEATRICAL RELEASE IN CANADA

BYTOWNE CINEMA (Ottawa, ON) 
Thursday, July 4th at 6:30pm
325 Rideau Street, Ottawa, ON

For ticketing info, CLICK HERE
*Director Anna Fahr & Co-producer Habib Battah will be in attendance for the Q&A

CARNIVAL CINEMAS (Red Deer, AB)
Friday, July 5th to Thursday, July 11th at 4:30pm 

For ticketing info, CLICK HERE

CINEPLEX YONGE & DUNDAS (Toronto, ON) 
Friday, July 5th at 7pm *Director Anna Fahr will be in
​attendance for the Q&A 

Saturday, July 6th at 3:30pm
Sunday, July 7th at 10:00pm
​For ticketing info, CLICK HERE


THE WESTDALE  (Hamilton, ON) 
Monday, July 8th at 7:00pm *Director Anna Fahr will be in
​attendance for the Q&A

Wednesday, July 10th at 4:00pm
Friday, July 12th at 6:00pm
​For ticketing info, CLICK HERE


THE BROADWAY THEATRE (Saskatoon, SK) 
Wednesday, July 17th at 9:00pm / Broadway Theatre
Thursday, July 18th at 7:00pm / Broadway Theatre
Saturday, July 20th at 9:00pm / Broadway Theatre
Sunday, July 21st at 7:00pm / Broadway Theatre
Tuesday, July 23rd at 9:00pm / Broadway Theatre
​For ticketing info, CLICK HERE

INTERVIEWS/PRESS

Valley of Exile Review, Minute at the Movies Global News - Nov. 22, 2024
​

Anna Fahr's Valley of Exile On the Line - Aug. 17, 2024

Valley of Exile's Anna Fahr talks about telling authentic refugee stories

Screenfish - July 7, 2024

Ottawa filmmaker tells the story of sisters escaping war CBC Listen - July 4, 2024

New film premiering at ByTowne Cinema aims to challenge view of Middle East City News Everywhere - July 4, 2024
​
Valley of Exile: When Coping with War is 'Women's Work' Original Cin - July 4, 2024
​

Anna Fahr on Bashu, The Little Stranger
A Conversation with Norm Wilner, Canadian Features Programmer, TIFF Someone Else's Movie - July 2, 2024

Valley of Exile: A candid film about Syrian refugees in Lebanon Orient Today - June 20, 2024

Shashat Meets Anna Fahr
Shashat Media - June 8, 2024

Tallgrass Film Festival releases early sneak peek at at this year’s lineup
Wichita Eagle - Aug. 18, 2023

Pass the Remote: ‘Fremont,’ ‘Bottoms,’ ‘Story Ave,’ ‘Valley of Exile’
Local News Matters - August 21, 2023

World & US Premiere Films Unveiling at Cinequest Film Festival 2023
Filmfestivals.com - July 19, 2023

Canadian-Lebanese Drama ‘Valley Of Exile’ About Syrian Refugee Crisis Wraps Challenging Shoot
Deadline - Jan. 13, 2022


​

​DIRECTOR INTERVIEWS
​

MOVIE STILLS

Valley of Exile on IMDB
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  • Home
  • About
  • Projects
    • NEW RELEASES >
      • Valley of Exile
    • In development >
      • Beirut in Between
      • Return to the Valley of Jews
    • In distribution >
      • My Life in Limbo
      • Migrant Mothers of Syria
      • Transit Game
      • Khaneh Ma: These Places We Call Home
      • Commissioned Work
  • Updates
  • Contact