‘Beloved Syria’ is honoured to present this beautiful documentary featuring the Gardenia Choir, a women’s choir based in Syria which has performed both in Syria and abroad.

At the start of the film, the choir sings ‘Barcarolle’ from Jacques Offenbach’s ‘The Tales of Hoffman’, a song that must be familiar to tens of thousands of choir members and opera lovers around the world.

Below is an introduction to the documentary by its creator and director, Mohammed Samir Tahhan.

في زمن الحرب اكثر من یعاني في المجتمع ھن النساء لما یتعرضن لھ من فقدان وتحمل مسؤولیات جسیمة تضعھن أمام تحدیات وجودیة قاسیة لا ترحم . المرأة السوریة عانت الكثیر خلال سنوات الحرب في سوریة مما ولد لدى الكثیرات طاقات عمل وابداع متنوعة ، في فیلم نساء من سوریة اخترنا نموذج عن النساء اللواتي اخترن الغناء والفن والعلم للتعبیر عن ذواتھن حیث انطلقت فرقة كورال غاردینیا النسائي عام 2016 في خضم تساقط قذائف الھاون من قبل الارھابیین على العاصمة دمشق فكانت اغانیھن البلسم الذي یشفي الأرواح المتعبة. ______________________________________

In times of war, those that suffer most in society are women. This is due to the losses they face and the enormous responsibilities they must bear. They must confront cruel and unforgiving challenges of life. Syrian women have suffered much during the years of war in Syria, which has generated women’s energy both in workplaces and in creative endeavours. In the film ‘Women from Syria’, we examine women who chose singing, art and science to express themselves. The Gardenia Choir for women was founded in 2016 amidst the fall of mortar shells on Damascus. Their songs could soothe and heal tired souls. ______________________________________

Choir members interviewed in the film include: Ghada Harb: Head of Gardenia Choir Judy Suleiman: 4th Year Student – Economics – Damascus University; 1st Year Student – Opera Singing – Higher Institute of Music Haneen al-Halabi: 4th Year Student – Pharmacy – Damascus University; 1st Year Student – Opera Singing – Higher Institute of Music Heba al-Shara’a: Architecture Graduate,; 4th Year Student – Flute – Higher Institute of Music Yasmin Mohammed: 4th Year Student – Piano – Higher Institute of Music Abeer Farrouj: 5th Year Student – Viola – Higher Institute of Music Gazal Elias: 5th Year Student – Dentistry – Damascus University