The Second Life of Wafaa is a 12-minute short documentary made in Germany and directed by Ekaterina Pavlova. The film focuses on football as a tool for personal expression, integration and hope.
It tells the story of Wafaa, a young girl who fled the war in Iraq with her family to seek a new life in Germany. Her dream is to become a professional footballer. Football becomes not only a passion for her, but also a way to confront the difficulties of integration and her status as a refugee.
The protagonist is a young athlete who experiences the football pitch as a place of emancipation, engagement and the construction of her identity. The narrative moves between training, moments of play and the difficult balance between the desire for freedom and the rules of a traditionalist Yazidi community, which Wafaa seeks to respect while asserting her independence.
The documentary's central message is one of resilience and the search for a new chance at life through sport. Wafaa's journey demonstrates how commitment and passion can be a bridge to integration and personal growth without giving up one's cultural roots.
From a production standpoint, The Second Life of Wafaa is director Ekaterina Pavlova's first film. It is not a student project. The film was completed on 18 February 2024 and shot entirely in Germany, with dialogue in German and Kurdish.
Film Details
Title: The Second Life of Wafaa
Original title: The Second Life of Wafaa
Director: Ekaterina Pavlova
Production: Ekaterina Pavlova
Country: Germany
Language: German, Kurdish
Running time: 12 minutes 21 seconds
Genre: Short documentary
Sport featured: Football
Protagonist(s): Wafaa
Completion date: 18 February 2024
Premiere: [Not specified]
Distributor: [Not specified]
Shooting format: Digital, colour
Director's first film: Yes
Student project: No