Due to immense popular demand, Wake Up on Mars is extended until February 26.
Two teenage sisters, Ibadeta and Djeneta, lie in a vegetative state in the small Swedish home of their Kosovar family. Their mysterious illness is known as "resignation syndrome," a condition that can affect asylum-seeking children, often following a threat of deportation. The tight-knit family is trying to rebuild a normal life far from their native Kosovo, where they were victims of persecution. As their devoted parents work to keep their daughters alive and await updates on their immigration status, their youngest brother, Furkhan, imagines a life beyond the snowy expanse of his temporary backyard—and into the far reaches of space. While their entire future hangs in the balance of a pending asylum request, the little boy dreams of building a spaceship to leave it all behind. Furkhan’s desire to build his dream ship to the stars, escaping the unimaginable reality of his sisters’ illness, serves as a powerful, visually arresting metaphor for the contemporary refugee experience.
In Albanian and Swedish with English subtitles
We are grateful for the support of our presenting sponsors:
Human Rights Watch is grateful for the support of our community partners: Mosaic Institute, the Samuel Centre for Social Connectedness, and The Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture.
The film will be available for 48 hours from when you start the stream. Please note streaming is only possible from inside Canada. Need assistance? Visit our FAQ page or email us at streamingsupport@hotdocs.ca.