Film Screening: My Sweet Land

Film Synopsis

My Sweet Land is a coming-of-age story set against a multigenerational war in the post-Soviet Caucasus Mountains. It follows an 11-year-old boy named Vrej, growing up in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) who dreams of becoming a dentist in his picture-postcard village with its roaming ducks and golden bees. His sweet land, however, is strewn with mines from previous wars, shaping a country that remains unrecognized to the world. Vrej’s life takes a sudden turn when war erupts, forcing him to flee with his family. He spends his days in exile impatiently waiting for victory, but reality takes a different turn; Armenians lose the war. Upon returning to his surviving village, he confronts the devastation, new power dynamics, and an education that prepares the children for near-future battles. Vrej must learn the rules of war... But can he carry a nation’s hopes on his young shoulders? The film is a testament to the people of Artsakh, where hope and trauma had shaped their resilience across generations.

Filmmaking Team

Sareen Hairabedian | Producer/Director: Sareen is an Armenian-Jordanian documentary filmmaker based in the U.S. Through her intimate observational filming style, she captures the untold stories of the underrepresented. Hairabedian’s directorial debut WE ARE NOT DONE YET is a 40-minute HBO documentary about U.S. veterans grappling with PTSD who use poetry to heal. (Best Documentary, G.I. Film Festival, Nominee for Best Documentary Short at the IDA Awards 2018). MY SWEET LAND is her debut feature-length documentary featuring one child’s journey through disillusionment, trauma, and hope. It’s the recipient of the IDFA Spotlight Award, and has the support of ITVS, ARTE, International Documentary Association, Arab Fund for Arts & Culture, Jordan Film Fund, CNC and others. Sareen is a fellow at DocNYCxVC Incubator and a fellow at Creative Armenia.

Azza Hourani | Producer: Azza is a Jordanian producer and assistant director with over 15 years in the industry. A 2011 graduate of the Red Sea Institute of Cinematic Arts, she has worked with National Geographic, the Doha Film Institute, MBC, and various global non-profit organizations. Azza produced MY SWEET LAND by Sareen Hairabedian, an IDFA Spotlight Award winner in 2021, set to premiere at Sheffield DocFest 2024 in the "First International Feature" category. Her assistant director credits include notable films like Ali Abbasi's HOLY SPIDER (Palme d’Or nominee 2022), Abu Bakr Shawky's HAJJAN (TIFF 2023), and Amjad Al Rasheed's INSHALLAH A BOY (Cannes 2023). Azza is currently developing her third short film, aiming for production by the end of 2024.

Julie Paratian | Co-Producer: Julie Paratian created SISTER Productions (an anagram of RESIST) with emphasis on an international, feminist and militant approach. Julie has a 20-year experience in international co-productions with countries ranging from Greece, Srilanka, Belgium to Tunisia, Jordan and the USA. She has produced around thirty documentary and fiction films noticed in major festivals: from debut films to later works with experienced directors, TV or cinematic pieces as well as art films, all of SISTER’s works take strong political stances and explore unique cinematic expressions. Her latest release was CAITI BLUES directed by Justine Harbonnier (ACID Cannes 2023), THE CASTLE by Martín Benchimol (Berlinale – Panorama), UNDER THE LEAVES by Florence Lazar (awarded at Cinéma du Réel 2024).

David Rane | Co-Producer: David is a BAFTA and IFTA-winning producer, whose main focus is social issue docs for cinema and international co- productions. His work includes IN LOCO PARENTIS (School Life) 2016 (IDFA and Sundance); YOUNG PLATO, 2022 IDA and BIFA nominees, screened at 65 festivals, and won 15 awards; MUCH ADO ABOUT DYING, directed by Simon Chambers (IDFA, 2022, Best Directing Award) GIRL TAKEN, Paramount Plus UK in July 2022. Current features include THE ALEXANDER COMPLEX, directed by Neasa Ní Chianáín, which premiered at Thessaloniki in 2024, and MY SWEET LAND, directed by Sareen Hairabedian. David is regularly a panelist and guest speaker at festivals and film industry conferences, is a member of the pre-selection jury for the PGA awards, and expert assessor for Eurimages.

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