On October 7, 2023, the day of Hamas's violent attack on Israel, Iranian director Sepideh Farsi is promoting her latest film, The Siren, to the world. The film is inspired by the war she, now in exile in France, experienced as a teenager in her native Iran. Seeking a deeper understanding of the context, Farsi attempts to enter Rafah from Egypt to speak with Palestinian refugees, and through a contact, she meets, albeit only via video call, twenty-four-year-old photojournalist Fatma "Fatem" Hassouna. In basic English, a deeply felt dialogue unfolds between them, an immediate connection that requires no explanation, between those who understand the meaning of a severe restriction of their freedom.
"Fatma became my eyes in Gaza. I, from my exile, was her window to the world. This film is an urgent reminder, a way to ensure her voice is not erased." (Sepideh Farsi)
