Save the Children, Pillow Fight
Elias Ben Dahhou
Simon & Paul
Director's Works
Raised in Southern Germany, Elias developed an early passion for moving images. After finishing school, he moved to Cape Town, where he directed the short film “Dazed.” Driven by his experiences, he began studying Media Design near Frankfurt.
After working for a production company in Hamburg, he started his directing studies at the well known Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg in 2020.
His films have been awarded the Golden Nail, the AICP Award, and the Young Once Award, among others.
What do we remember when we think of childhood battles?
Pillow fights, running through the house, hiding behind chairs. Moments that felt intense, but were always safe.
For one in five children, childhood looks different. They grow up in or around war. Their battles are not games, but survival, marked by fear, loss, and memories no child should carry.
What starts as a reminder of how childhood should feel ends as a quiet confrontation with what it too often becomes.
Pillow Fight is not meant to explain. It is meant to remind us what childhood should be, and why protecting it must remain our shared responsibility.
