Annu
The soul remembers the way back home.
Sana and Annu — grandmother and six-year-old granddaughter, live together in a Druze village in the Galilee. The day before Annu’s family is due to move to Haifa, Annu suddenly loses consciousness. When she wakes up beside her grandmother, she whispers: “You will find my children in Syria.” Sana becomes convinced that Annu is the reincarnation of her sister Muna, who was killed in the war, and is overwhelmed by the revelation. But Annu’s parents explain it away as a side effect of epilepsy and medication. They ask Sana to stop and begin to distance the two from one another. Heartbroken, Sana sets out on a journey to cross into Syria — the homeland she left at seventeen. There, she uncovers not only the true meaning behind her granddaughter’s words, but also what she herself has been searching for all along.
Summary
Annu (2025) is a tender, mystical family drama set in a Druze village in the Galilee. Sana, an elderly grandmother, lives with her six-year-old granddaughter, Annu, in the close-knit community they call home. Their bond is especially important as Annu’s parents prepare to move the family to Haifa, a change that threatens to separate the child from the grandmother who has helped raise her. Just before the move, Annu suddenly loses consciousness. When she awakens beside Sana, she quietly tells her, “You will find my children in Syria.” The startling statement convinces Sana that her granddaughter may be the reincarnation of her sister Muna, who was killed during the war. For Sana, the words carry the force of a message from the past, reopening grief and memories she has tried to contain for decades. Annu’s parents view the incident differently. They attribute the child’s behavior to epilepsy and the effects of her medication, and they urge Sana to stop encouraging what they see as a dangerous fantasy. Concerned about Annu’s well-being, they begin creating distance between grandmother and granddaughter, leaving Sana increasingly isolated and distraught. Refusing to dismiss Annu’s words, Sana undertakes a perilous journey toward Syria, the homeland she left at seventeen, hoping to understand what the child has revealed. The film centers on Sana’s search, but it is also shaped by the perspectives of Annu’s parents and the vulnerable child caught between medical explanations, family tensions, and a world of spiritual possibility. As Sana travels through memories and across borders, the story explores the enduring effects of war, exile, and divided identity. Its supernatural premise becomes a way to consider how the dead remain present in family life, how unresolved loss can pass between generations, and how cultural beliefs may clash with modern medicine and parental authority. At its heart, Annu is a story about the powerful bond between a grandmother and granddaughter and about a woman confronting the homeland, grief, and unanswered questions she left behind. Combining intimate family drama with elements of mystery and spiritual folklore, the film treats faith and memory with emotional seriousness while leaving room for ambiguity.
