PREMIERE: TOREN: BACK TO ROOTS (OmU)

FSK 18 | 107 minutes | Drama | Release: 03.02.2024 | Germany, Iraq 2024

Language: Arabic with German subtitles "Toren" tells the life story of a Yezidi family spanning three generations who experienced the horror of the Armenian massacre and found refuge in Georgia. Toren, the grandson, who was born in Georgia, faces existential conflicts and is in search of self-discovery and identity. His inner struggles resemble those of the contemporary Hamlet, who is torn between "to be or not to be".

In a desperate attempt to preserve his original identity rooted in Mesopotamia, Grandfather Toren flees in search of a safe haven and settles with his family in Georgia at a time when his Yezidi people, along with the Armenian people, were facing genocide. Toren, the Georgia-born grandson (26), is a talented painter with a complex personality who faces an existential conflict, the challenges of belonging to his roots and living in a society that is completely different from his family's customs and traditions. Toren lived with his older brother "Meraz" in the care of his grandparents after losing his parents at a young age. Despite his artistic talent, his madness and instincts drive him to rebel against his identity. His success in the field of painting does not free him from inner conflicts. Things are further complicated by a serious illness that haunts him and threatens his life. Toren finds himself in a constant battle between life and death. This conflict confronts him with existential questions, similar to Hamlet's soliloquy "To be or not to be". A chance encounter with "Eka" (24), a Georgian doctor, gives new life to young Toren's existence and offers a way to escape his psychological isolation. Toren begins his journey of self-exploration and a new desire is sparked in him to return to his roots, inspired by the stories of his ancestors, the strength of resilience and their wisdom of survival. Toren begins to regain his footing and becomes increasingly aware of the injustices faced by his people, his marginalized community, and the disappearance of their once thriving civilization. In the end, the Toren family decides to return to their ancestral land in Iraq, but fate takes a tragic turn.