Tarek Chokri, refugee from Syria, impresses at finals exhibition ArtEZ AKI
Herman Haverkate, from the daily newspaper Tubantia, visited the graduation exhibition of ArtEZ AKI Academy for Art & Design. He spoke to finals student Tarek Chokri (Moving Image) and was impressed by Tarek's film and personal story.
Tarek Chokri, a refugee from Syria, impresses with a very personal film at the annual finals exhibition of the AKI. He portrayed his 12-year-old brother in Damascus and also 12-year-old Thijs from the Netherlands.
Sometimes Tarek can't believe that what happens to him is all true. Seven years after he decided to come to the Netherlands, Tarek Chokri has graduated with the highest marks of all and will officially become a Dutch citizen on 1 July. 'It's a dream come true. This country and this school have finally accepted me. My film is the end of a long period, but also a new beginning.'
Fled the Civil War
How Tarek got to Enschede is a film in itself. In 2014 he left Syria. The civil war had started. Tarek had to join President Assad's army. 'I couldn't do anything but run.'
The journey initially took him to Malaysia. There he came into contact with AKI director Marc Boumeester online and discovered the Moving Image course, the brand new course to become a filmmaker at the Enschede academy. 'Making movies is my dream. In Syria I did not have the options for that. The fact that I found Enschede was purely coincidental. I'd never heard of the city before.'
- Read Herman Haverkate's entire interview with Tarek on the website of Tubantia
