The Syrian Civil War has displaced millions of Syrians, creating an unforeseen humanitarian crisis. In the middle of the Jordan desert is the city of Zaatari, home to over 80,000 refugees—80 percent of whom are children. Ferras, 10, gets nosebleeds every day and is tormented by his father’s remarriage; Fatma, 12, loves to wear makeup, and her best friend is a rooster; Hammoudi, 8, can afford anything but will sacrifice everything for his unborn brother; and Maryam, 15, is an aspiring thespian despite her parents’ religious objections. With evocative imagery and surprising intimacy, director Catherine van Campen details what it is like to grow up in a refugee camp—the unexpected normalcy juxtaposed against the harsh setting. This pensive film is more than the stories of refugees—it is a story of childhood and the resilience of innocence. BD