Nathalie cuts off her hair and mails it for the first time
As a reaction to her separation and increased frustration about travel restrictions, Nathalie cuts off her hair to send it across borders.
Production
Our Milestones
Nathalie begins sending her hair to friends and family
Going where Nathalie herself can't go, Nathalie sends her hair lock along with video messages to her friend Leen's wedding and her father in Syria.
Discovering her grandfather's letters
With her aunt, Nathalie discovers letters from her grandfather from the time of the Armenian genocide, revealing similarities in her own experiences.
Nathalie guest lectures at Stanford
Nathalie shares her story and emerging film at Stanford's Global Literacy and Visual Rhetorics class.
Filming in Homs completed
The team completed our interviews and shots in Homs with Nathalie’s father, Varoujan.
Filming in Damascus completed
The team completed our interviews and shots in Damascus with Nathalie’s friend, Leen.
Filming in Germany completed
The team traveled to Essen in Germany to meet with Nathalie’s friend, Christeen.
Filming in Sweden completed
The team traveled to Stockholm to meet with Nathalie’s friend and former roommate, May.
Nathalie Gets her American Citizenship During COVID-19
Nathalie finally obtained her American citizenship amidst the travel challenges of COVID-19. Determined to reunite with her parents after seven long years of separation.She courageously decided to take the risk and travel during the pandemic to embrace her family once again.
Nathalie's Aunt Interview Filming in California
Both refugees and immigrants face challenges and uncertainties, but the reasons for their journey and the circumstances they encounter along the way can be distinct, shaping their experiences in different ways. Nathalie interviewed her aunt to share her immigration journey to the US hoping to inspire others with similar aspirations. During the interview, her aunt revealed the touching story behind discovering the letters Nathalie's grandfather had written before his passing, offering a profound insight into their family's history and heritage.
After 7 years of separation, Nathalie reunite with her parents and Leen in Syria
After 7 years apart, Nathalie reunites with her parents and her friend Leen in Syria. Inspired by her heritage in Armenia, she visits her grandfather's destroyed house in Syria, documenting an emotional interview there to preserve cherished memories and honor her family's legacy. The journey becomes a soul-stirring odyssey that strengthens her connection to her roots and inspires her to share the message of love, resilience, and unity with others.
Nathalie Visits Armenia for the first time to Embrace Her Family Heritage and Armenia History
At the beginning of the war with Azerbaijan, Nathalie's journey to Armenia became a poignant experience as she sought to understand her family's heritage while witnessing the resilience of a nation facing challenges and conflict. In the midst of turmoil, she forged a deeper connection to her roots, acknowledging the enduring spirit of her people.
Nathalie's Interview in California
Nathalie's interview captures her emotional experience of reuniting with her family in Syria after seven years and witnessing the war in Armenia. The team in the US successfully documented her compelling journey, offering a poignant insight into her cherished reunion and the resilience she found amidst conflict.
The Girls all Reunite In Europe
After 8 years of being apart, Nathalie finally reunite with Christen and May in Europe. The depth of their meeting defies description, with emotions running high as they embrace the joy of being together again.
Our First Successful Fundraiser Event in San Francisco
In collaboration with Refugee Eye Gallery, we achieved our first successful fundraiser event in San Francisco. The event's success allowed us to hire an editor in Lebanon and apply for the Doha Feature Film Festival grant. Additionally, the funds covered our expenses for a trip to LA to meet with the founder of the Armenian Film Festival.
Leadership Lecture Series at Stanford University
Because of Nathalie’s diverse background and her expertise as an Armenian- Syrian artist, she presented a lecture about her experience as an Armenian female growing up in Syria, and how does she preserve her Syrian culture after moving to Silicon Valley. During these incredibly stressful and uncertain times, Nathalie kept producing art to express her emotions and to cope with trauma and loss. She intended to inspire the students on how incredibly arts can heal any human being and bring back the community together.
Spring 2019
Nathalie was invited as a guest speaker in Global Literacy and Visual Rhetorics Class at Stanford University. The class is designed to encourage the students to engage rhetorically in the relationship between language, culture, religion, and identity.