Barika Rising

Earlier this year, we stepped into Barika refugee camp expecting to simply document the first skatepark in such a setting being built, and the impact it could have on the community of 5,000 children. This quickly shifted into an intimate look at life in the camp and what it looks like day to day being displaced. 

Barika Rising aims to:

• Shift public perception of refugee camps from passive suffering to active community-building
• Amplify youth voices and showcase grassroots leadership
• Inspire support for similar initiatives in displaced communities
• Foster empathy and dialogue across humanitarian, cultural, and educational sectors

We’ve been invited to premiere the film at the Connect Festival in Bordeaux, a platform that could elevate these voices to a global audience. But to complete the story, we need to return for 10 days of essential filming and key interviews.

Your support will help us cover the base costs of this final leg—bringing us one step closer to sharing Barika Rising with the world.

Barika Rising is a documentary born from a collaboration between myself, Samantha Robison and Arne Hillerns of Make Life Skate Life, and four remarkable youth leaders from Sulaymaniyah: Bahrous, Dyar, Fatima, and Safen. These skateboarders are the driving force behind the skatepark being built in Barika refugee camp a space of hope, resilience, and community.

Creatively, the film began with motion portraits of the children in the camp. These intimate visuals—sometimes observational, sometimes direct—anchor the narrative in the lived reality of those we’re speaking about. They serve as a visual heartbeat throughout the film, reminding viewers of the humanity behind every story.

We’ve captured compelling interviews with Safen and Samantha, but we’re still missing key voices—particularly Dyar and Fatima. Their stories are essential: they speak to the transformative power of skateboarding, their desire to give back, and the long-term impact they envision for their community.

Returning to Barika approximately four months after our initial visit is vital. It will allow us to document the evolution of the skatepark, revisit the children we met, and capture their reflections on how this initiative has shaped their lives.

With much of the labour donated in time, including my own, I am simply looking to raise the costs of getting to Sulaymaniyah. I believe in the power of this film, it is a passion project, so simply having the base expenses covered is the goal.

If we meet our target or exceed it then it will may be possible to attend the Connect Festival in France for the premiere. 

I'm making Barika Rising because I saw something extraordinary in a place the world often overlooks and misjudges. I witnessed not just hardship, but hope—young leaders like Dyar, Fatima, Safen, and Bahrous transforming their community through skateboarding, creativity, and courage. I'm doing it because their story deserves to be told with care, nuance, and truth.

Barika Rising is not just documenting a skatepark. It's capturing a movement. It's showing that refugee camps are not just sites of survival—they’re spaces where resilience thrives, where youth can lead, and where joy can be reclaimed. I'm doing it because I believe in the power of storytelling to shift perspectives, to foster empathy, and to inspire action.

And creatively, I'm doing it with intention. The motion portraits, the lens-to-lens connection with the children—these aren’t just artistic choices. They’re acts of respect. They say: I see you. You matter.

Barika Rising is your way of amplifying voices that are too often unheard. It’s our way of standing alongside a community that’s building something beautiful out of displacement. And it’s our way of inviting the world to care.

This work needs to be seen, heard, and experienced because it challenges the dominant narrative of what it means to live in a refugee camp. Barika Rising doesn’t just document—it dignifies. It reveals the strength, creativity, and leadership of youth who are often portrayed only through the lens of suffering. It shows that even in displacement, there is agency, joy, and vision.

I'd love the community to back this because this is not just ou story—it’s theirs too. It’s a chance to stand behind a project that uplifts voices from the margins and brings them to the centre. It’s a way to invest in storytelling that builds empathy, sparks dialogue, and inspires action. And it’s a rare opportunity to support a film that’s being made with—not just about—the people it represents.

Backing Barika Rising means believing in the power of youth, skateboarding, and art to transform lives. It means helping bring a message of hope and resilience to the world stage. And it means saying: we care, we see you, and your story matters.