Between Syria and England: A British-Syrian Family Story
A British-Syrian Family Story
An English mother, a Syrian father, two sons growing up between cultures and a 94-year-old grandfather whose stories continue to shape the family. Through ordinary moments at home, walks in the forest, they explore what it means to belong to more than one place.
An English mother, a Syrian father, two sons growing up between cultures and a 94-year-old grandfather whose stories continue to shape the family. Through ordinary moments at home, walks in the forest, they explore what it means to belong to more than one place.
Filmmaker’s note
I was drawn to this family because there was no single answer to the question of where home was. Each generation had inherited a different relationship with England and Syria.
For the father, Syria was a place he had lived and remembered. For his sons, it first existed through his stories, family photographs and relatives known from a distance. Their first journey there turned an inherited idea of Syria into real people, places and relationships.
The film made me think about how belonging is passed between generations. A child can inherit a language, a history and a collection of family stories, but can they inherit a sense of home?
Film details
Title: A British-Syrian Family Story
Location: England
Year: 2026
Filmmaker: Celia Peterson
Themes: Cultural identity, belonging, British-Syrian families, heritage, intergenerational relationships, family memory
Running time: 12 minutes 24 seconds
Filmmaker’s note
I was drawn to this family because there was no single answer to the question of where home was. Each generation had inherited a different relationship with England and Syria.
For the father, Syria was a place he had lived and remembered. For his sons, it first existed through his stories, family photographs and relatives known from a distance. Their first journey there turned an inherited idea of Syria into real people, places and relationships.
The film made me think about how belonging is passed between generations. A child can inherit a language, a history and a collection of family stories, but can they inherit a sense of home?
Film details
Title: A British-Syrian Family Story
Location: England
Year: 2026
Filmmaker: Celia Peterson
Themes: Cultural identity, belonging, British-Syrian families, heritage, intergenerational relationships, family memory
Running time: 12 minutes 24 seconds
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