One in a Million

A young woman wearing a headscarf faces a reflective glass surface, creating a close-up double image of her face. Blue and purple light patterns ripple across the reflection.

Filmed over ten years, One in a Million follows Israa from childhood to adulthood on an extraordinary journey from war-torn Syria to Germany — and back again. We first meet her at age 11 as she and her family prepare to cross the Aegean Sea, risking everything in search of safety and a better life in Europe. What unfolds is a deeply personal chronicle of war, exile, and heartbreak, as Israa grows up navigating adolescence, identity, and belonging far from the home she was forced to leave. As she settles into life in Germany, new freedoms collide with the stabilizing pull of Syrian traditions, testing family bonds and reshaping her sense of self.

Co-directed by Itab Azzam and Jack MacInnes, the film bears witness to the remarkable trust between filmmakers and family, following Israa and her loved ones across borders, cultures, and shifting circumstances. An intimate and nuanced coming-of-age story, One in a Million illuminates the complexities of the refugee experience while asking a universal question: what does it truly mean to call a place home?

Free admission! Sponsored by the Migrations Program at the Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies.

In Arabic, German, and English with English subtitles. Part of our "Doc Spots" and "Campus Collaborations" series. Courtesy: PBS Theatrical

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