Airbnb Bélo Day Stories – Amjed & Florent

In November 2019 we were commissioned by Airbnb to tell the story of two unlikely friends brought together as a result of the ongoing conflict in Syria.

We focused on the plight of Amjed, who fled his home province of Idlib in 2015 to avoid military enrollment and ultimately fight a war he didn’t agree with. Following a dangerous 10 day journey across 10 countries over land and sea, Amjed arrived in Paris with hopes of achieving citizenship and enrolling in school.

Struggling to gain footing in a new country Amjed would meet Florent, a lifelong Parisian who eventually helps him live and succeed in France out of a need to effect positive change in his close-knit world.

Produced and Directed by: Mike Martinez & Tyler Wray

Director of Photography: Tyler Haft

Editing & Additional Cinematography: Maxwell Henderson

Special thanks to Justin Koleszar & Ali Lovell