On Air

A docu-drama film created in Canada with six Syrian women as part of the Fly with Drama project. Through a process of monologue writing and drama training, the women developed stories centered on shame, bodily autonomy, self-determination, and freedom. In the film, each monologue is expressed through a symbolic domestic task, with shared objects linking the scenes to suggest a single, collective female voice.

Written and Directed by MANYA ELANDARI
Producer GINA DINEEN
Production Consultant CARYS LEWIS
Production Consultant YARA SABRI
Cinematography CHELSEA H. WEDER
Camera Assistant TALIA WOODLAND
Sound Recordist ROSIE EBERHARD
Gaffer ALEX CHUNG
Additional Sound MYRTHIN STAGG
Picture Post Services MOTIONBELL CREATIVE STUDIOS
Editor & Colourist TAREK ALWARD
Audio Post Services FORMOSA GROUP
Sound Editors RACHAEL ZERAFA CHRIS MATHESON
Re-Recording Mixer ELLA MELANSON
Featuring Performances and Personal Monologues written by
KHULOD HADAQ, MAYSON ALMISRI, HANAN ZOU ALGHINA, DOAA MANAL MAHROUS & MILA ATTAR
Final Scene Participants
ALIDA BAHNAN • AZHAR ATTRAH • CAROLINA DÅVILA EGijEz • FATIMA NANA HANAA NACORA • KHADIJE HOURI • LAMIAA ZRIK • LAMIS SARAJ • LUBNA FARES, MARAH KHALAS • MAYADA KHALASS • RANA OUDIH • SAHAR MAHDI
NAWA Choir performing “KERMALI” composed by Mike Massy
Music Director SALAM KHORSHID
Piano Accompaniment JOHN SHEARD
Lute Accompaniment HASAN WABAH
Music Recordist L. STU YOUNG
NAWA Choir members
AZHAR ATTRAH, KHADIJE Houm, LAYLA JABBOUR, MAYSAA AGHA RANA OUDIH, DIMA ABOUKHEIR, KHULOUD HADAQ, LUBNA FARES NADIA JADIR, RIMA KHOURI, FATIMA NANA, KIMA JOULJI, MAHA ALIO, NAHILAH DIB, ROULA TOMAH, HOUAIDA ALI AYOUBI, LAMIAA ZRIK, MARAH KHALAS, NAJAH ABDALBAKI, SAMMAR ABOHAMOUD, KENANA AL KAKOUNI, LAYANA LABABIDI, MAYADA KHALASS, OUSAMA BAGHDADI & TEYAMA ALKAMLI

This film is the result of work with the Fly with Drama community project in Toronto, during which Syrian women learned how to express their feelings through body expression and interactive theatre, writing and acting workshops. SABBARA.
Body Expression & Interactive Theatre MANYA ELENDARI
Workshops PAULA WING &LISA RANDALL
Writing Workshops FADIA DALLA
Acting Workshops YANA SABRI

FUNDED BY
ARTS THE CITY OF COUNCIL TORONTO

Minutes

2025

Release

Production

Canada

On Air by Manya Elendari – frame at 5m24s

On Air by Manya Elendari – frame at 8m40s

On Air by Manya Elendari – frame at 12m1s

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written & directed by manya elendari – 1

On Air by Manya ELANDARI Trailer – frame at 0m57s

On Air by Manya ELANDARI Trailer – frame at 0m8s

Bio – Filmography

Manya Elendari is a community artist and the founder of Sabbara, an organization that empowers Arabic-speaking women through art. A graduate of Damascus University with a degree in Media, Manya has spent over 15 years creating and leading artistic projects that support women affected by war, displacement, and gender-based violence. Her work with Sabbara includes art workshops such as documentary filmmaking, narrative quilting, and interactive theatre, often developed in collaboration with other artists.

She founded Sabbara in Syria in 2011 to help women gain financial independence through handcrafted art. Her projects aim to create safe and creative spaces where women can share their stories and build resilience.

Manya co-directed the documentaries “In Memory of Fadwa Soliman” and “Samma Palace”. Most recently, she wrote and directed “On Air”