Set in a Syrian refugee camp in Turkey, Bukra tells the story of 11-year-old Amal, whose greatest dream is to play soccer with a real ball. She and her best friend Fouad have only ever played with one they crafted from scraps of cloth and twine. But when Amal spots a message under her cola bottle cap promising a chance to win an official World Cup ball, what once felt impossible suddenly feels within reach. Driven by hope, she sets out on a journey to the city to claim her prize, creating a distance that strains her friendship with Fouad and deepens her longing for a closer connection with her father.

Director Biography - Alex Aljouni

Alex Aljouni is a Syrian writer and director based in New York. Growing up in Syria during the war, Alex turned to storytelling as a means of processing and articulating experiences that later shaped her cinematic vision. She recently graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Film and Television from UCLA, where she was a Regents Scholar and received notable accolades, including the UFVA Carole Fielding Grant and the Antonio Blanco Award. This fall, she will be pursuing her MFA in Film at NYU.

With a unique perspective shaped by her heritage and personal journey, Alex is dedicated to leveraging the visual medium to unearth once-buried stories and give voice to those often left unheard.

Director Statement

How do we promise a better tomorrow to those who may never attain it?

I grew up in Syria during the war, where bombings, gunfire, and violence became an everyday backdrop. Absurd as it sounds, you learn to tune it all out; you acclimate to fear being a part of daily life. Yet, one thing your mind and body refuse to cope with is the loss of hope. Living in a war zone or a refugee camp is a relentless reminder that dreams often go unfulfilled, whether that’s building a family, studying to become an astronaut, or in my case, becoming a filmmaker.

Through Bukra, I hope to offer a new perspective on the Syrian refugee experience, one that doesn’t rely on violent imagery but instead invites its audience to see through the eyes of a child. It’s a story of resilience, of humanizing the crisis, and of revealing how war doesn’t just destroy homes, but futures. - Alex Aljouni