Finding Hope

Welsh-Iranian film-maker Sara Nourizadeh follows the story of teenage refugees Zari and Ali as they begin to rebuild their shattered lives with the help of remarkable charity worker Marjaneh Halati (Marjie).

Sara’s journey takes her from North Wales to Turkey as she reveals how Marjie confronts the trauma of her own childhood to give Zari and Ali the second chance they deserve. Forced to flee Afghanistan in 2011, Zari and Ali are struggling to care for themselves and each other in a new country, and Marjie’s work as a psychologist and psychotherapist is put to the test as she seeks to win the young refugees’ trust.

Back in North Wales, Marjie returns to the old boarding school she attended when she was 11 and which was the source of much unhappiness. It is Marjie’s experience at the school as a young girl that has shaped and informed her charity work to bring refuge to hundreds of misplaced and abused young girls and women. Can she accept the trauma of her past and help Zari and Ali seek a brighter future?

Sara’s hard-won access to Marjie’s challenging work means she can shine a light on the broader refugee crisis, and its devastating effect on younger generations. The documentary also celebrates the enduring impact of empathy and resilience in overcoming profound challenges.