One In A Million Premieres in Europe at Thessaloniki Doc Fest Before CPH:DOX Debut
Sundance Award-Winning Documentary "One in a Million" Premieres at Thessaloniki Festival
The critically acclaimed documentary One in a Million, which chronicled the journey of a Syrian girl living as a refugee in Germany while holding onto her memories of Syria, had its European premiere at the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival in Greece. The film, a contender in the Newcomers Competition, is scheduled to screen again today at the Pavlos Zannas venue.
Directed by Itab Azzam and Jack MacInnes, the film will also feature prominently at CPH:DOX in Copenhagen, where it will screen on March 14, 16, 17, and 18.
Azzam and MacInnes received the directing award for World Cinema Documentary at Sundance for their portrayal of Israa, who transitions from childhood to adulthood amid the turmoil surrounding her family’s migration from Syria to Germany. The film, shot over a decade starting from when Israa was 11, details her family’s perilous journey across the Aegean Sea in search of safety. As Israa begins to forge a new life in Germany, she grapples with the contrasting freedoms of her new environment and the traditional values of her homeland, creating a poignant narrative of identity and belonging.
The film’s title underscores the plight of the million Syrian refugees who found asylum in Germany during the civil war, which saw its most intense moments leading up to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s exile to Moscow in November 2024. In stark contrast, the United States accepted a mere 25,000 Syrians during this time, with current restrictions effectively barring their entrance.
One in a Million also earned the Audience Award for World Cinema Documentary at Sundance. In promotional materials, the film is described as a powerful testament to the trust between filmmakers and their subjects, exploring the nuances of the refugee experience through a personal lens. It poses the universal question of what it truly means to call a place home.
Co-director Itab Azzam, who is originally from Syria, and her partner MacInnes were living in Damascus when the civil war erupted in 2011. Their journey began with an unexpected departure to London, initially planned as a temporary relocation. Four years later, they encountered Israa selling cigarettes in Turkey after she and her family fled Aleppo’s devastation. They felt compelled to share her story.
"Israa was one of a million refugees to enter Germany that year," the directors stated. “The journey has been joyous and illuminating, but often emotionally close to the bone.” Azzam and MacInnes noted that they, too, have experienced the pain of exile, which has deeply impacted their family.
One in a Million is produced by Frontline Features and BBC Storyville and presented by PBS Distribution. Azzam and MacInnes produced and directed the feature, with contributions from Will Anderson, James Bluemel, Andrew Palmer, and Oscar winner Raney Aronson-Rath. The film features editing by Iain Pettifer-Moth and Alec Rossiter, with music composed by Simon Russell.
The executive production team includes Lucie Kon from BBC, Jutta Krug from WDR, and others. The documentary will be distributed in the U.S. and Canada by PBS Distribution, with Autlook handling international sales.
In a featured clip, Israa navigates the ruins of her war-torn homeland, searching for remnants of her childhood.
