In June 2017, POV asked From Damascus in Chicago filmmakers Colleen Cassingham and Alex Lederman what's happened since the cameras stopped rolling.
How is Mohammad's battle with cancer going since the film?
After we finished the film, Mohammad's cancer went into remission and his health seemed to have improved. But life doesn't follow the neat progressions and happy endings of films. Just when Mohammad finally thought he was in the clear and able to work for the first time in years, his scans came back showing that the cancer had spread to other parts of his body. He's been in and out of the hospital undergoing more radiation sessions. Cancer is a beast, but we're hoping and praying he'll beat it. We started a GoFundMe page to raise money to help with the medical bills -- we haven't yet met our goal of $5000. Since Mohammad can only work part-time or less, and Asmaa's job at a thrift store doesn't pay much, they need all the help they can get.
What have Retaj and Akram been up to since beginning their full-time dance and music lessons?
The kids really cherish the opportunity to continue full time with the arts. It gives them the opportunity to build their confidence and express themselves, while also helping them learn English and connect to people in their community. Retaj was really flourishing in dance class, and Akram started taking piano lessons and performed in his first recital! The Obidat family is actually preparing to move to another neighborhood, so hopefully the kids will be able to find places to continue with the activities they love.
In what ways have you seen or do you hope to see From Damascus to Chicago add to the conversation around Syrian refugees?
We hope our film helps move viewers beyond the realm of empathy -- even though our film creates that, too -- and inspires them to take concrete action. In addition to tracking the Obidat family's journey, we aimed to illuminate specific steps people in the community have taken to help make the Obidat's transition easier, from volunteering to teach English, to providing free services like dance classes, to being a good friend. We have so much more to give than our fleeting empathy -- and it rewards us as well.