The documentary “Children of Camp Ashraf” will be screened at the Tempo Festival in Sweden. This documentary, directed by Sara Moein, tells the story of the children of the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK) who were separated from their parents after the First Persian Gulf War under the order of Masoud Rajavi and were sent from Iraq to European and North American countries.
In her film, Sara Moein documented the lives of Amir Yaghmai, Parvin Hossein Niya, Hanif Bali and Atefeh Sebdani as 4 examples of about 120 children of the MEK parents who were resettled in Sweden.
In the review on Sara Moein’s documentary, the website of the festival writes:
The environmental scientist Amir, the actress Parvin, the politician Hanif and the influencer Atefeh are some of the hundreds of children who were smuggled to Sweden in the early 90s so that their parents could devote themselves wholeheartedly to the political struggle in the Marxist-Islamist movement People’s Mujahedin. Thousands of children were shipped from the movement’s military base in Iraq to Mujahedin-sympathizer foster families in Europe. In Sweden, the children were placed with the help of social authorities. Interviews and archival material depict the painful family separations and how the movement becomes increasingly authoritarian and sectarian”.
Tempo is Sweden’s largest documentary festival. Since its founding in 1998, it has showcased hundreds of documentaries from around the world, presenting documentary works in the forms of audio, photography, performing arts, and experimental art.
In 2024, eight films will compete in the Tempo Documentary Award. The winning director will receive an award worth 150,000 kroner. The Tempo Documentary Award is the largest award given to a Swedish documentary film. All nominated films will be screened in the festival from March 4 to 10.
The Children of Camp Ashraf has also participated in the Edinburgh Film Festival in Sweden which will premiere on January 31st.
“The children of Camp Ashraf” in Tempo Festival, Sweden