Barika Rising Teaser

We're currenlty in production and hoping to return to Iraq to fiinsih Barika Rising. We'll be launching a crowd funding campaign through Boosted via the Arts.co.nz. More details to follow. In the meantime below are some details about the film.

Help support the film by donating here - https://www.thearts.co.nz/boosted/projects/barika-rising

Barika Rising explores the lived experience of young people in displacement through the lens of the world’s first skatepark in such a setting—proving that resilience rolls forward.

Barika Rising Teaser

Barika Rising is a short documentary that captures the construction of the world’s first concrete skatepark inside a refugee camp—an inspiring collaboration between skateboarders in Sulaymaniyah (Kurdistan, Northern Iraq) and seven volunteers from the NGO Make Life Skate Life. What begins as a grassroots construction project quickly unfolds into a deeper story of the realities of life inside a refugee camp, community, and youth-led transformation.

Through intimate visuals and observational storytelling, the film offers a rare glimpse into daily life in displacement—focusing not on crisis, but on creativity and agency. The skatepark becomes a symbol of possibility, where play is reclaimed as a tool for healing, identity, and community.

Barika Rising is designed to shift narratives around refugee experiences, highlight the power of youth-driven initiatives, and encourage collaboration between NGOs, artists, and local communities. It’s a testament to what can happen when displaced populations are not only supported—but empowered.