Memories of Al Yarmook

Al Yarmook in Damascus, Syria, was known as the capital of the Palestinian diaspora. Destroyed and deserted during the Syrian Civil War, it became inaccessible to former inhabitants. Sophie Welsh spoke to some of them and documented their memories on film. She immerses viewers in memories of a place that they will never see as it was. Although the stories are personal, the universal themes of identity and memory within the wider context of forced displacement and war are central to the film’s narrative. “I think it’s important to remember Al Yarmook, because it is our identity,” says Mohammad Jamil, a former inhabitant. “If you don’t remember your identity, then what are you?”