Stad van twee lentes

When the war with IS in Iraq is nearly over, the displaced people who fled from Mosul want to return to their old homes and lives. Ala’, an eleven-year-old girl, is one of these refugees. She dreams of having a small garden at her family home, even though the city is in ruins.

Parallel to the story told by Ala’, the United Nations and the Dutch ambassador work around the clock to support the reconstruction of Mosul. But how do you build a life when everything around you has been destroyed? City of Two Springs is a documentary that provides a pervasive and intimate perspective on the impact that war has on people. We follow the struggle of eleven-year-old Ala’ to give meaning to her life during and after the war. As the oldest daughter of the family, she bears many responsibilities, but when she briefly has a break from taking care of her little brothers, it turns out that she also has dreams of her own. She misses her old life, her school, and her grandfather and grandmother, to whom she writes letters. Ala’ has one fervent wish: to return to her home in Mosul and build a beautiful garden. But is Ala’s house even still standing…?