Behind One Smile
view in croatian- HR, US
- 2025
- 92'
- color
- Orig. Title: Iza jednog osmijeha
Every year, thousands of minor refugee children embark on uncertain and risky journeys, searching for safety on their own. To escape military recruitment and death, a fourteen-year-old boy flees from war-torn Aleppo with one goal – to become a support for his family, for whom he is the only hope of salvation. An unaccompanied minor refugee wanders along the dangerous Balkan route from Syria to Germany, seeking sanctuary while facing brutal realities and social injustices, exposing himself to difficult and inhumane conditions. In a Croatian transit camp, Khaled finds protection and support with volunteer Ena-Sanan. Despite adversities, bullying, isolation, cultural hurdles – he persists, driven by a dream of family reunification. On his journey, Khaled faces trials that transform him from a vulnerable boy into a beacon of hope for his family. After a long struggle, they manage to reach Turkey, where they spend several years in suspense and hope, striving to reunite with their eldest son and build a brighter future. As Khaled nears his 18th birthday, legal complexities threaten to derail his mission.
- Director
- Ena-Sanan Hdagha
- Screenplay
- Ena-Sanan Hdagha
- Cinematography
- Ivor Ferić
- Editing
- Ivor Ferić, Ena-Sanan Hdagha
- Sound Design
- Dario Domitrović, Dušan Maksimovski, Daniel Golem
- Music
- Tomislav Petrčić
- Design
- Ena-Sanan Hdagha
- Producers
- Ena-Sanan Hdagha, Jasmina Hdagha, Dario Domitrović
- Production
- Ena-Sanan Hdagha
- Co-producers
- Dalia Alić, Damir Terešak
- Co-production
- Jim Kaufman Productions, Embrio Production, Maxima film
- Croatian Distribution
- Embrio Production
- Support
- Hrvatski audiovizualni centar (HAVC)