The Young Girls and Their Paper Bags

Description

Set in the Syrian city of Qamishli in 1962, the story follows young girls from two families who join forces to collect empty cement bags. They cut and refashion them into smaller paper bags to sell to local shopkeepers. Because the bottoms of the original bags retain traces of cement—which adds weight—shopkeepers collude with the girls, buying these “adulterated” bags to manipulate the weight of goods sold to customers. An act of deception eventually shatters the partnership, sparking a vengeful rivalry between the girls as they compete in sales. It is a simple world defined by the chatter that shapes their understanding of reality—a life perceived through delicate, enchanting, and distinctive details.