One in a Million shares the story of eleven-year-old Israa as she and her family leave Syria in search of safety and a better life in Europe. Filmed over a decade, directors Itab Azzam and Jack MacInnes capture Israa as she embarks on an epic journey – from fleeing the war as a young Syrian refugee, to navigating adolescence and a new culture in Germany, to returning to her home of Aleppo as an adult. One in a Million is an intimate, coming-of-age story that asks a universal question: What does it mean to call a place home? The film illuminates the complexities of the refugee experience, capturing Israa and her family as they confront war, exile, and heartbreak – and discover resilience, freedom, and love – in a foreign land. The film One in a Million won the Directing Award and the Audience Award in the section World Cinema – Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival 2026 (Park City, Utah, USA).

In the discussion after the screening, we will explore integration from three different perspectives: UNHCR will provide figures and a broader context – how many people decided to return home after the change of regime in Syria and how many continue to live in exile. We will learn about the experience of integration in practice from the civil association Mareena, as well as hear a personal story of fleeing Syria told by someone who experienced it firsthand – what does integration into a different cultural context really mean. Where is the line between adapting and forgetting who you once were?

Guests:

Miya Hashimoto, UNHCR

Petra Kováč, Mareena

Ismail Samar, member of the Mareena community from Syria

The discussion, which will be held in Slovak, will be moderated by Frederika Hazéová. The discussion will be interpreted into Slovak Sign Language.

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This screening is part of the IncluCine 2 project, implemented within the Collaborate to Innovate scheme under the auspices of Europa Cinemas and funded by the Creative Europe – MEDIA programme.