MOEDERLAND

in development (expected in 2027)

MOEDERLAND is a hybrid film about memory, displacement, and the enduring bond between a Syrian musician and his mother. After fleeing Syria for the Netherlands, Sam must rebuild his life while his family remains behind. Through music, he forms an unexpected bond with a family in Enschede, who welcome him into their home. He now lives with the parents of filmmaker Jikke Lesterhuis, becoming part of her family.

Together, Sam and Jikke construct a growing miniature landscape from fragments of his memories: a swamp, a piano that once saved his family, and even his very first memory. Rebuilding these places becomes a reflection of rebuilding a life after displacement, piece by piece, from what remains. Combining live action, miniature sets, and animation, the film moves between Sam's present-day reality and the worlds that exist inside his memory. As he shares his stories, the miniature landscape transforms with him: rooms shift, details disappear, and memories return in unexpected forms. Music and phone calls with his mother open up new spaces within this evolving world. Moving between the visible process of constructing the sets and moments in which the camera enters them completely, MOEDERLAND blurs the boundary between documentary reality and imagination. In this fragile, ever-changing landscape, Sam creates a place where what has been lost can temporarily be rebuilt, and where, despite the distance, mother and son can be together again.

Moederland (eng: Motherland) is a Starting From Scratch production.

This project is supported by