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*Join us for a rare opportunity to see this acclaimed short film, which has won awards at numerous international film festivals but is not currently streaming anywhere in the United States, followed by a post-film discussion with scholar Eylaf Bader Eddin (in person) and director Anis Hamdoun (virtually).

The film explores the dark world of the Syrian Secret Service and the collective subconscious of its political detainees. It is based on the true stories of those who survived the underground Syrian death cells, including that of the director’s friend, a theatre actor who became a Director of Photography after surviving Syria. The story follows “Chekhov,” the nickname given to the theatre actor who miraculously survived the Syrian underground Secret Service prison. Now living in Europe, Chekhov struggles to cope with the trauma of his brutal experiences in his home country. In his mind palace, he creates a stage where he relives the horrors he endured, using comedy to mask the pain. As the story unfolds, the film takes an unexpected turn. We find ourselves in 2099, where a surreal game show is taking place, hosted by the beautiful Jamila. The only contender is obsessed with winning the prize, despite being asked a series of bizarre questions about the torture methods used in Syria decades ago. The story culminates in a twist that will leave the audience questioning the true nature of survival and redemption. “Chekhov'” is a gripping and thought-provoking film that delves into the psyche of those who have experienced unspeakable trauma and the unique ways in which they cope.

Eylaf Bader Eddin studied English and Arabic literature in Syria, Lebanon, France, and Germany. His first book, in Arabic, followed the Sadeq Jalal al-Azm Award. His second, Translating the Language of the Syrian Revolution (2011/12), was published by De Gruyter in 2024. His current research is on music made inside Syrian political prisons, where he has documented thirty four prison songs for the first time. He formed the band Chords behind the Bars with former prisoners and has performed with them in Europe and the United States. He is preparing a documentary film on the music of Sednaya and a touring exhibition of musical practice inside the prison. He is Assistant Professor at Davidson College.

Anis Hamdoun is a German-Syrian director, writer, and educator based in Berlin. He came up in the theatre in Homs and rebuilt his working life in Germany, where his play The Trip won the nachtkritik theatre prize. He taught for five years at the Berlin University of the Arts and founded the production company reelink media, which made Chekhov. His work keeps returning to memory, displacement, and what political violence does to a person long after the event.