The Young Won’t Forget
ABOUT
The Young Won’t Forget is a documentary film about the diverse experiences of second generation Palestinians living in diaspora in North America.
“The old will die, and the young will forget” was the zionists’ expectation for Palestinians after displacing them from their land in 1948. Seventy-five years later, that statement has proven demonstrably false. Both at home and in exile, the Palestinian cause grows stronger with each passing generation.
We are three mixed-Palestinian cousins living in diaspora: Paula, Miranda, and Chloë. Paula is Palestinian and Hong Kongnese, Miranda is Palestinian and Zimbabwean, Chloë is Palestinian, French and Danish. This mixing of cultures is not a dilution, but rather a powerful synthesis - it provides an opportunity to build trust between communities and strengthen our movements through joint struggle.
This second generation of Palestinians bred out of exile look different, we sound different and some of us have never set foot in Palestine, but we are passionately and proudly Palestinian. We continue to advocate and fight for the liberation of our people. We decided to make a film to showcase the underrepresented Palestinian experience in the diaspora, and share our stories.
The project explores our different relationships to identity and the Palestinian diaspora. It seeks to understand why, despite the vilification of Palestinians, the societal push for assimilation, and our competing identities and heritages, those in the diaspora have not forgotten about Palestine. Throughout the film, we translate our unique family and experiences into a compelling exploration of Palestine, diaspora, and identity within the context of the global North.
Our Team
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Miranda, Co-Director
Miranda Mlilo is an organizer, activist and artist living in Washington DC. As a child of immigrant parents from Palestine and Zimbabwe, Miranda is passionate about advancing equity and works in the community to organize around indigenous sovereignty, and racial and environmental justice. She believes that art is a beautiful tool to cultivate joy, and as a means of resistance.
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Paula, Co-Director
Paula Sahyoun is a social innovator and filmmaker from Toronto, Canada. As a daughter of Palestine and Hong Kong, Paula has always been motivated by a sense of justice. She has devoted her creative and professional life to social change and civic engagement. She is passionate about using art, economic and social financial tools to empower marginalised communities.
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Chloë, Co-Director
Chloë Sahyoun is a writer, student, activist and musician based in Copenhagen, Denmark. She is a Palestinian-French-Danish woman raised in the United States and living in Europe. She studied Politics and Sociology at the University of Edinburgh and is currently pursing a MA in Urban Planning. Chloë believes in the power of stories to create change in her community and beyond.
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Alicia, Director of Photography
Alicia Rodriguez is an award-winning documentarian and cinematographer. A second-generation Boricua to nuyorican parents, Alicia's experiences with diaspora and narrative erasure contextualizes their approach. They see storytelling as a tool of resistance, challenging harmful narratives and creating, recreating, and reclaiming narratives.