SAMA (سما, Arabic VERB: soared, rose, climbed).
Hiba, a Syrian refugee, and Sabine, a Lebanese citizen, live in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon. In a country where tensions between Syrians and Lebanese are escalating, the two girls share their past experiences and the social barriers they faced while pursuing their passion for climbing through the Swiss NPO ClimbAid.
We witness Hiba and Sabine’s deep connections to their traditional families as they strive for independence. Despite feelings of disappointment and helplessness, their commitment to ClimbAid grows stronger. This dedication propels them to become influential female leaders.
As they navigate their personal challenges, we see the significant impact climbing has on the local community, fostering peace and resilience in a challenging societal context.
This film was part of VIMFF 2025 and is no longer available for viewing.
Bachar Khattar, a professional cinematographer since 2009, director and producer since 2017. He was born in Lebanon in 1988 and grew up in Beirut where he studied Audiovisual arts at Saint Joseph University.
His first short film won the Best Cinematography Award in Lebanon at the Notre Dame University, and he immediately moved into filming commercials, TV shows, and web series for popular artists in the region, as well as short and feature documentaries. His love for traveling and discovering new cultures drove him to work in 25 countries all over the world.
Bachar’s love for the Lebanese countryside led him to film “Confessions of a Runner” on the Lebanese Mountain Trail in 2019. The film won several awards in festivals around the world among which Best Film in Mountain Sports in Banff, Best Mountain Film in VIMFF and Best Doc Short in Davis International Film Festival.
Thanks to this experience Bachar has immersed in ultra-running documentaries and developed a passion for trail runs.
Bachar is currently based in Lebanon, but he often travels to Canada to visit his son, and to Italy to visit his partner. He is fluent in English, French and Arabic.
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