Watermelon Pictures has acquired North American distribution rights to topical documentary “Traces of Home,” whichJohn Leguizamo (“The Menu”) andMelissa Barrera (“In the Heights”) have boarded as executive producers. The debut feature of Colette Ghunim world premieres atDOC NYC, where it competes in the official section.
Spanning five years in production, the doc traces Ghunim’s deeply personal journey of self-discovery as she seeks to reconnect her parents with the ancestral homes they were forced to abandon as children in Palestine and Mexico. Blending evocative animation with rarely seen archival footage, documentary is both a meditation on memory and an exploration of belonging, displacement and the quest to return home –both physically and spiritually.
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“This documentary feels particularly urgent and personal for me – not only because of my love and deep connection to Mexico and Palestine, but because it premieres at a time where it is imperative to address the generational trauma that refugees and their families live with,” said Barrera.
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“We are living through and witnessing wars and dispossession at home and abroad and our communities are being directly affected. Through the lens of one Palestinian-Mexican family, the film poignantly articulates how a family can be affected and the importance of finding the tools to heal that trauma. I hope this documentary offers hope and shows a way forward to those who need it,” she added.
“Ghunim has crafted a stunning, tender, and vulnerable look at family in America today. She courageously unpacks the legacy of displacement as it is passed down through generations to reveal something truly profound,” said Watermelon Pictures’ head of production and acquisitions Munir Atalla, who negotiated the deal with Ghunim.
Acclaimed documentary editor-producer Sara Maamouri (“The Judge,” “A Revolution in Four Seasons”) has also boarded as a producer and co-editor. “It’s an honor to join forces with Watermelon Pictures on bringing ‘Traces of Home’ to North American audiences. Their remarkable work towards reshaping the mainstream narrative around Palestinian people and other underrepresented communities mirrors the heart of this film, she said.
Dan Rybicky and Capella Fahoome join Maamouri as producers while Keith Wilson and Dena Takruri executive produce. Four-time Oscar-nominated Kartemquin Films, whose credits include “Hoop Dreams” “A Good Man” and “Almost There,” is a co-producer.
Watermelon Pictures’ was founded in 2024 by brothers Hamza Ali and Badie Ali which, in its first year, snagged an Oscar shortlisting for its film “From Ground Zero,” Palestine’s official entry to the 97th Academy Awards. In May this year, the company launched Watermelon+, a new streaming service showcasing a library of Palestinian and world cinema.
DOC NYC takes place Nov. 12–30.
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