Who Loves The Sun
A film by
Arshia Shakiba
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Synopsis
Set in war-torn northern Syria, "Who Loves the Sun" delves into the world of makeshift oil refineries and the stark realities of life within this post-apocalyptic landscape. Mahmood is a prominent figure in these operations, navigating harsh working conditions and complex local dynamics.
Highlights
65+ festivals. For Your Consideration, Best Documentary Short Film
Tags
2024
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Documentary
Genre
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Country
Canada (Quebec)
Year
2024
Length
19'42"
Themes
Environment and Nature
,
Social Justice
,
Production
Zaynê Akyol (she/her), Arshia Shakiba (Edessa Production)
Director
Arshia Shakiba
Screenplay
Arshia Shakiba
Cinematography
Arshia Shakiba
Editing
Mathieu Bouchard-Malo
Sound Design
Sylvain Bellemare
Sound Mix
Bernard Gariépy Strobl
Color grading
Marc Boucrot
Music
Ilyaa Ghafouri
Director's statement
In northern Syria, soon after the uprisings against the Assad regime turned into a bloody conflict and then a civil war, over half of the population had to flee their homes, and the region. Those who stayed had to adapt to the hard conditions and survive regardless of which armed groups were in charge. Transportation, heating and cooking are all essential uses of fuel in these harsh wartime conditions. As the official oil industry crumbled, makeshift local refineries sprouted out of necessity. Since crude oil could still be pumped up and exported, makeshift refining soon became a viable source of income for local civilians. They turned to these unsustainable coping strategies as solutions for their unemployment and need for fuel.
WHO LOVES THE SUN focuses on the lasting impact of war on both Syria's people and their environment. When I returned from filming in Syria and shared my stories with friends and family, I was often asked if going to those places had any negative emotional effects on me. In fact, the opposite is true; these places are full of eye-opening stories of hope. These locals have gone through hardships and survived, building a strong sense of community along the way by helping each other overcome their collective problems. They show us how life goes on in spite of great loss, and they reinforce the existence of those human instincts that are not often seen outside of very difficult situations, but that help us survive crises. These observations gave me a new perspective, and making this film is my way of sharing some of those experiences I was able to capture.
Arshia Shakiba
Arshia Shakiba
Arshia Shakiba graduated from the Toronto Film School in Digital Film Production. He started his career creating music videos for Iranian underground rock bands before transitioning to documentaries. He directed and filmed the short documentaries The Guests (2018) and Who Loves the Sun (2024). Arshia is currently working on his first feature-length documentary, Sleepless, with the National Film Board of Canada. For ROJEK (2022), Roger Deakins awarded him and Nicolas Canniccioni the Best Cinematography Award at Mirage Film Festival (Norway).
Filmography
Who Loves The Sun | Short Documentary | 2024
The Guests | Short Documentary | 2018
Social media
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Festivals
Orizzonti Award for Best Short Film, Venice International Film Festival (La Biennale di Venezia), Italy | 2024 | Orizzonti Short Films International Competition
Best Documentary Film, REGARD - Festival international du court métrage au Saguenay, Canada | 2025 | National competition
Best Short Film Award, ZagrebDox - International Documentary Film Festival, Croatia | 2025 | International Competition
Signs Award, International Festival Signs of the Night (Segni della Notte), Italy | 2025 | International Competition
Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) Canada's Top Ten, Canada | 2025 | Best 10 shorts in Canada
Best Documentary Award, Ghent International Short Film Festival, Belgium | 2025 | International Competition
WTF Award, Flatpack Film Festival, UK | 2025 | International Competition
Best Documentary Award, Short Encounters International Film Festival, Greece | 2025 | International Competition
Honourable Mention Award, Toronto Arab Film Festival, Canada| 2025 | National competition
Best Cinematography Award, Toko Film Fest 2025, Italy | 2025 | International Competition
Best Documentary Short Award, Kerry International Film Festival, Irland | 2025 | International Competition
Best Documentary Award, 30° Ningbo Short Film Festival 2025, China | 2025 | International Competition
Best Documentary Short or Medium-Length Film, Gala Québec Cinéma, Canada| 2025
Short or Medium-Length Film with the Most International Impact, Gala Québec Cinéma, Canada | 2025
Montreal Festival du Nouveau Cinéma (FNC), Canada | 2024 | National Competition
International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam: IDFA, Netherlands | 2024 | Doc for Sale
Mirage Film Festival, Norway | 2024 | Mirage Shorts
Bucharest Short Film Festival, Romania | 2024 | International Competition
Bogotá Short Film Festival - BOGOSHORTS, Colombia | 2024 | International Documentary Competition
Corto Dorico Film Festival (focus Québec), Italy | 2024 | Short International Competition
Beirut Shorts International Film Festival, Lebanon | 2024 | Official Competition
Gimme Some Truth Documentary Festival, Canada | 2024 | National competition
Duhok International Film Festival, Iraq | 2024 | International Competition
Festival de courts métrages Images en vues (FIEV), Canada | 2024 | National competition
KINO ATHENS International Independent Film Festival, Greece | 2025 | International Competition Section
Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, France | 2025 | Lab Competition
Rendez-vous Québec Cinéma, Canada | 2025 | National competition
Changing Climate, Changing Lives (CCCL) Film Festival, Thailand | 2025 | International Competition
Pragueshorts Film Festival, Czech Republic | 2025 | International Competition
Santa Barbara International Film Festival: SBIFF, USA | 2025 | International Competition
Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, USA | 2025 | International Competition
MoMA’s Festival of International Nonfiction Film and Media, USA | 2025 | Doc Fortnight
Akbank Short Film Festival, Turkey | 2025 | International Competition
International Film Festival of Ottawa, Canada | 2025 | National competition
ALFILM – Arab Film Festival Berlin, Germany | 2025 | International Competition
Golden Harvest Film Festival (GHFF), Taiwan | 2025 | International Competition
Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF), China | 2025 | International Competition
Golden Ger International Film Festival, Mongolia | 2025 | International Competition
LICHTER Filmfest Frankfurt International, Germany | 2025 | International Competition
Busan International Short Film Festival, South Korea | 2025 | International Competition
Leiden Shorts Festival, Netherlands | 2025 | Festival Favourites
Le Cri du Court, France | 2025 | International Competition
International Film Festival ART FILM in Košice, Slovakia | 2025 | International Competition
Doc Edge Festival, New Zealand | 2025 | International Competition
Vienna Shorts Film Festival, Austria | 2025 | non-Competitive program
Norwegian Short Film Festival, Norway | 2025 | Special section
Halifax Independent Filmmakers Festival, Canada | 2025 | National Competition
ICFF IncluCity Festival, Canada | 2025 | National competition
Glasgow Science Festival, UK | 2025 | Off-Season Programme
Concorto Film Festival, Italy | 2025 | Supernature Special Program
Castiglioni Film Festival, Italy | 2025 | International Competition
FEST Film Festival, Portugal | 2025 | Silver Lynx Competition
International Ethnographic Film Festival OKO, Ukraine | 2025 | International Competition
Interaction: Short Docs Festival, Serbia | 2025 | International Competition
Doc.Boston Documentary Film Festival, USA | 2025 | International Competition
Kinoforum - São Paulo International Short Film Festival, Brazil | 2025 | International Competition
Eye Filmmuseum Film Festival, Netherlands | 2025 | MENA
Diani International Film Festival, Kenya | 2025 | Best of Festivals
Silver Frame Film Festival, Bosnia & Herzegovina | 2025 | Competitive Program
ANDARAS - Traveling Film Festival, Italy | 2025 | International Competition
Mediterranean Film Festival Split, Croatia | 2025 | International Competition
i-Fest International Film Festival, Italy | 2025 | Best-Of Section from Venice
Psarokokalo International Short Film Festival, Greece | 2025 | Architecture and Environment Section
San Giò Verona Video Festival, Italy | 2025 | International Competition
Cinéma sous les étoiles, Canada | 2025 | National Competition
PriMed – le Festival de la Méditerranée en images, France | 2025 | Mediterranean Short Competition
21st 15 Short Film Festival, USA | 2025 | International Competition
41st Interfilm Berlin, Germany | 2025 | ECO - Green Film Competition
Drunken Film Festival Bradford, UK | 2025 | International Competition
MENA Film Festival, Canada | 2026 | National competition
Kitakyushu International Film Festival, Japan | 2026 | International Competition
News
✈️ Travelling is back at Clermont Ferrand!
Travelling Distribution will be at Clermont-Ferrand from Saturday, January 31 (evening) to Friday January 6 (morning).
We're bringing 6 films with us - and a lot of cool merch, so leave room in your suitcase!
Three shorts in competition : BOA, WHAT WE LEAVE BEHIND, AIR HORSE ONE + three shorts at the market : TBA. Teams in attendance.
Book a meeting with us from Jan 1 to Jan 5 :
Buyers : Laurence Blais, admin@travellingdistribution.com
Programmers : Tam Dan Vu, coordo@travellingdistribution.com
Directors, producers : Louise Morel, louise@travellingdistribution.com
C'EST MA SOEUR | Berlinale Generation
C’EST MA SOEUR (THAT’S MY SISTER) directed by Zoé Pelchat, written by Léalie Ferland Tanguay, produced by Papillon Films, will have its World Premiere at Berlinale Generation 14plus. Team in attendance.
Distribution Inquiries : info@travellingdistribution.com
Press Inquiries : caroline@pixellex.ca
Learn more ↗
3 films | SXSW
1-2-3 films at SXSW (March 12–18, 2026)! Teams in attendance.
A WOLF IN THE SUBURBS
*World Premiere
dir. Amélie Hardy, prod. Metafilms
2026 | documentary | 19’
AIR HORSE ONE
*North American Premiere
dir. Lasse Linder, prod. Dynamic Frame, Black Boat and White Boat
2025 | documentary | 21’
WHAT WE LEAVE BEHIND
*US Premiere
dir. Jean-Sébastien Hamel & Alexandra Myotte
2025 | animation, genre | 11’
Distribution Inquiries : info@travellingdistribution.com
Press Inquiries : caroline@pixellex.ca
Learn more ↗
BEAU TEMPS, MAUVAIS TEMPS | Slamdance
Florence Lafond’s BEAU TEMPS, MAUVAIS TEMPS (NO MATTER THE WEATHER) will be in competition at Slamdance (Feb 19 - 25, 2026) in the Documentary Shorts Competition.
Inquiries : info@travellingdistribution.com
Learn more ↗
Jazz Infernal at Sundance
After TIFF and TIFF Canada's Top Ten, Will Niava’s JAZZ INFERNAL (prod. Telescope, Disamare, Scara-b) will have its international premiere at Sundance Film Festival (Jan. 16 - 26, 2026). Team in attendance.
Distribution Inquiries : info@travellingdistribution.com
Press Inquiries : caroline@pixellex.ca
Info + Screening Times ↗
WE WERE THE SCENERY | 98th Oscars® Shortlist
WE WERE THE SCENERY (dir. Christopher Radcliff, prod. Cathy Linh Che, Jess X Snow) is shortlisted at the 98th Academy Awards® for Best Documentary Short Film!
Distribution Inquiries : info@travellingdistribution.com
Watch now (US, Canada, UK) ↗