BALADNA
A Palestinian sweet shop owner and Syrian baker have found a new home, a tiny "oil rich" island, the kingdom of Bahrain. But with the region's economic instability, will the shop owner keep the business afloat and help the baker bring his family over from Syria?
2021 | Bahrain/USA | Documentary | 9 minutes | Digital/DCP | Arabic and English (English Subtitles)
DIRECTED BY AYA HAMDAN
Over 30 years ago my Palestinian parents established themselves in Bahrain. A little island I call home. For my first documentary, I set out to share a personal story. A small window into the lives of a Palestinian and Syrian expat in the Gulf who are connected through their shared love for sweets.
BALADNA is the name of my family’s sweet shop. It started in 2001 as a labor of love to share our favorite Palestinian sweets with the Kingdom of Bahrain. In 2019, I met Mohammad, a talented Syrian baker who my parents brought on during the month of Ramadan, our busiest time of the year.
Camera in hand, both Mohammad and my father open up to share their stories. This short documentary shows the parallels and differences between them.
- Aya Hamdan
