A Channel 4 documentary centers on a boy who is profoundly deaf and who fled to the UK from Iraq because his family thought his life was in danger.
Lawand struggled to communicate when he first arrived in the UK at the age of six.
According to the family, they fled from northern Iraq after hearing that Isis had threatened to kill disabled children.
They made Derby their home, and Lawand, now 12 years old, has flourished at a school for deaf kids. Channel 4 documented his development there.
The Royal School for the Deaf Derby (RSDD) offered Lawand a spot, which his family has called "life-changing.".
Lawand was unable to communicate with anyone, including his own family, when he finally arrived in the UK following a terrifying journey.
Because he didn't have access to deaf education during his formative years in Iraq, he had a difficult time picking up the language.
His family stated that they made the decision to leave in 2015.
They claimed it had been a dangerous journey to Europe and that they had fought to stay in the UK.
But they asserted that the school had helped the family because they could see how Lawand had flourished there.
After four years of being followed by Channel 4 documentarians, his life is now the subject of a feature-length film.
In order to attend the film premiere, Lawand, his father, and his brother traveled to London before Christmas. They expressed excitement about the prospect of watching the documentary on television in the future.
Traveling to London to see the movie on a big screen was exciting, he said.
"I grew accustomed to the cameras being around, and the film crew really turned into my friends.
"I might become famous and be recognized by everyone when it airs on television, but I don't want to be an actor," the speaker said. I'd like to work in technology, or design homes, or become a doctor.
Lawand is a popular student at the school with a large group of friends, according to RSDD headteacher Paul Burrows. He is a very happy and positive young man.
Given the numerous difficulties he encountered as a child, Lawand is incredibly resilient and eager to participate in all of our activities; you would never guess that he has been through so much.
"Despite having a lot of support when he first started at the school, where everything from the food to the language was completely foreign to him, today he excels in lessons and has big goals for the future.
"We are all incredibly eager to see the movie, and I believe Lawand will enjoy the taste of fame, if only momentarily.
According to a statement from Channel 4, the documentary Name Me Lawand had followed him as he "emerged from isolation.".
The statement read, "Britain isn't just a place of refuge; it's the place where he has learned to communicate for the first time.
They called the film, which has already been released in theaters, "an inspirational and touching coming-of-age story."
