Sayfo documentary Souls in Transit screened in Augsburg, Germany

AUGSBURG, Germany — The documentary film about the 1915 Sayfo Genocide Souls in Transit was screened at the Cinestar cinema in Augsburg, Germany, on Saturday at 8 PM, drawing an audience that included clerics, municipal representatives, members of local institutions, and the Syriac Club in Augsburg, along with members of the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) community.

The screening was followed by interactive discussions, where attendees engaged with director Ida Schleifer, posing questions about the film’s production process and its impact across Europe and the world.

In a statement to Suroyo TV, the priest of the Syriac Orthodox Church in Augsburg praised Schleifer and her team, emphasizing the film’s thought-provoking themes. He noted that the film encourages viewers to reflect on its message of solidarity and prayer for the persecuted peoples of Syria and Iraq, particularly Christians who have endured immense suffering but remain steadfast in their faith.

Naila, Co-Chair of the Syriac Club in Augsburg, expressed pride in hosting the screening. She highlighted the film’s importance in educating the local community about the history and hardships of the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) people, spanning from the Sayfo Genocide to the atrocities committed by the Islamic State (ISIS) in Iraq. She commended Schleifer for her courage and commitment to bringing this story to life, despite not belonging to the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) community herself.

The film, produced in Syriac and Arabic with German subtitles, bridges the historical narratives of the Sayfo Genocide and the modern-day genocide perpetrated by ISIS in Nineveh Plains. Its screening in Augsburg marks another step in raising awareness about the resilience and history of the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) people.

On Sunday, Souls in Transit was also screened in Schweiz, Switzerland.