“I can’t think of a more stark example of how threatening art can be,” says Julie Winokur, who helped produce a new film about Jandali called Notes for My Homeland.

Born in Germany, and raised in Homs, Syria, Jandali is an American citizen who blends traditional Arab music with Western harmonies. Although now living in the U.S., Jandali’s heart is never far from Syria. His song Watani Ana (I Am My Homeland) was a inspired by the killing of children in the Syrian city of Dara’a. After he performed it during a demonstration in Washington, his parents were attacked in their home in Syria.

The three-year collaboration between the photo agency, production company, and university is tasked with