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Screening of a Documentary About the Olympic Refugee Team; Kimia Alizadeh Also Participates

Feb 7, 2026 February 7, 2026 2 min read 📰 VOA Persian
📋 Key Takeaway

A documentary titled 'We Dare to Dream' about the Olympic refugee team premiered at the Tribeca Festival, featuring Iranian athlete Kimia Alizadeh. Directed by Wad Al-Katib, the film highlights the struggles and dreams of young athletes from war-torn countries. The involvement of Angelina Jolie as a producer adds significant attention to the project.

🔍 Quick Context Guide
💡 Bottom Line: The documentary serves as a powerful reminder of the resilience of refugee athletes and the importance of their stories in the global narrative.

👥 Key Players

Kimia Alizadeh MENTIONED
Iranian taekwondo athlete
"Alizadeh is a prominent figure in Iranian sports and symbolizes the struggles of athletes facing political and social challenges."
Wad Al-Katib MENTIONED
Director of 'We Dare to Dream'
"As a Syrian filmmaker and refugee, Al-Katib brings personal experience to the storytelling of displaced athletes."
Angelina Jolie MENTIONED
Executive producer
"Jolie is a well-known advocate for refugee rights, which adds significant visibility and credibility to the project."
Joe Gebbia MENTIONED
Producer and co-founder of Airbnb
"His involvement highlights the intersection of business and social issues, particularly in supporting refugee narratives."

📰 What Happened

The documentary 'We Dare to Dream' premiered at the Tribeca Festival, showcasing the stories of refugee athletes, including Iranian Kimia Alizadeh. Directed by Wad Al-Katib, the film highlights the challenges faced by these athletes as they pursue their dreams.

  • The documentary features athletes from Iran, Syria, South Sudan, and Cameroon.
  • Angelina Jolie's involvement as an executive producer enhances the film's profile and focus on refugee rights.

💡 Why It Matters

🇮🇷 For Iran: The documentary highlights the plight of Iranian athletes who face political repression, drawing attention to their struggles.
🌍 Regional: It underscores the broader challenges faced by refugees in the Middle East and their representation in global events.
🌐 International: The film raises awareness about the refugee crisis and promotes discussions on human rights and the role of sports in advocacy.

📚 Background

The Olympic refugee team was established to provide a platform for athletes who have been displaced due to conflict, allowing them to compete under the Olympic flag. This initiative highlights the intersection of sports, identity, and human rights.

Refugee rights The role of sports in social justice
📡 Source: INTERNATIONAL
📊 Confidence: 70%
The article is based on reports from established media outlets, providing a balanced view of the documentary's significance.

The screening of a documentary at the Tribeca Festival about the International Olympic Committee's refugee team received a warm welcome from audiences and art critics. This documentary, titled 'We Dare to Dream,' is directed by Wad Al-Katib, a filmmaker from Syria who was forced to leave his homeland due to the war in his country. In this work, he narrates the stories of young athletes from Iran, Syria, South Sudan, and Cameroon who were compelled to migrate from their countries for various reasons and participated in the Tokyo 2020 Summer Games under the Olympic refugee team. One of these athletes is Kimia Alizadeh, an Iranian taekwondo player, whose story is featured in this documentary. Ms. Alizadeh, who attended the Tribeca Festival for the screening of this documentary, shared images from the film's premiere ceremony on her Instagram account. 'We Dare to Dream' has a runtime of 93 minutes, and these athletes speak about their dreams in Arabic, English, Persian, French, and German. Wad Al-Katib portrays the dramatic challenges faced by these refugee athletes and engages with their tumultuous lives through compelling and challenging dialogues. The Syrian filmmaker expressed his personal experience of displacement and migration by creating a documentary titled 'Sama' in 2019, which received prestigious awards from film festivals and was even nominated for an Oscar. Due to his complete familiarity with such stories, he decided to make a documentary about stateless refugee athletes who participated in the Tokyo 2020 Summer Games under the Olympic flag. This documentary specifically focuses on the themes of freedom and the right to choose, addressing the various challenges these athletes face in their personal and professional lives. Last week, it was announced that Angelina Jolie, the Oscar-winning actress and human rights activist, has joined this project as an executive producer. Ms. Jolie has been a strong advocate for refugee rights and has undertaken numerous activities in this regard. From 2001 to 2012, she served as a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency and from 2012 to 2022, she served as a Special Envoy. Joe Gebbia, one of the founders of Airbnb, is also a producer of the film, actively participating in the pre-production and production stages alongside providing financial support. According to art critics, 'We Dare to Dream' is considered a strong contender for an Oscar due to its story and professional team. This report was compiled using the Tribeca Festival website and reports from Hollywood Reporter and Variety.

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Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →

Translation confidence: 85%

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