Directed by Saeed Al Batal, Ghiath Ayoub
Syria, Lebanon, France, Germany, Qatar • 2018 • 120 mins. • In Arabic with English subtitles
The conflict in Syria, under the brutal Assad regime, has raged on for many years with no end in sight; the country torn asunder between military bombings and ISIS machinations. For first-time filmmakers Al Batal and Ayoub, two young men with a love of cinema, the conflict became inescapably intertwined with their lives. During the past seven years, the duo filmed more than 450 hours of life in Douma, a Damascus suburb and epicenter of fighting. Using their footage to craft a deeply compelling, heartbreaking, and infuriating look inside everyday terror, Al Batal and Ayoub show us the harsh reality of life in Syria— an extremely eye-opening experience that should not be missed.
Filmography: First feature
Content warning: scenes of intense, graphic violence and war
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