While a number of powerful documentaries about the tragic civil war in Syria have already appeared, filmmaker Feras Fayyad's is one of the most viscerally affecting. Shot under dangerous conditions in 2015-16, Last Men in Aleppo follows members of the White Helmets—volunteers with the rebel Syrian Civil Defense force—who try to survive and enjoy semi-ordinary lives with their families in their devastated city while also rushing to rescue victims from the rubble produced by bombardment from government and Russian aircraft. Burly extrovert Khaled tries to rally his squad's morale in the face of brutal realities as the team recovers corpses and dismembered limbs, but also occasionally a survivor. His partner, former philosophy student Mahmoud, is more morose but no less dedicated. The film offers glimpses of both men's private lives along with their heroic efforts in the field: Khaled tries to provide a stable environment for two young daughters even as he debates whether they should escape to Turkey; Mahmoud is concerned with protecting his younger brother while assuring his parents that both of them have already left Aleppo. This is an emotionally wrenching, often heartbreaking film that ends with a personal tragedy that only accentuates the sense of mindless loss that the war represents. It does not offer much larger context on the conflict (one must look elsewhere for a full history of the Syrian disaster), but it provides an incredibly powerful and intimate look at the war's impact upon individuals. A remarkable cinematic achievement—winner of the Best in Show award at the 2017 National Media Market conference—this is highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)
Last Men in Aleppo
(2017) 104 min. DVD: $395. Grasshopper Film. PPR. Volume 33, Issue 1
Last Men in Aleppo
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