The Cave

‘The Cave’ Film Review : Syrian War Documentary from Oscar Nominated Director of ‘The Last Men in Aleppo’ by Shani Harris

Feras Fayyad made history as the first Syrian filmmaker to earn an Academy Award nomination for his documentary “The Last Men In Aleppo.” Director Feras Fayyad immediately submerges the audience in the midst of the Syrian conflict with the opening shots of ‘”The Cave.” The imagery of war feels even more jarring, when a viewer watches the bombastic imagery of bombs pummeling the landscape. The sonic tapestry makes us hear the rumble of crumbling buildings. We immediately realize that innocent civilians are dying down below. Aerial drones show the devastating crisis that has arisen from the rule of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. “The Cave” was shot from 2016 to 2018 and was awarded the People’s Choice Documentary prize at the 2019 Toronto Film Festival.The film also won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance when Fayyad examined the renegade civilians in Aleppo who were affectionately called the “White Helmets.”

“Last Men in Aleppo” is a verite film showing how volunteers Khaled, Mahomoud and Subhi risked their lives daily while walking over ground. We watch in awe as the men listen for Russian war planes over head and search through the wreckage of buildings to rescue helpless victims. There is a very touching scene in “Last Men of Aleppo”, when one of the reluctant heroes, decides to visit the home of a young boy that he saved. The boy is enamored with his rescuer and looks at the genial “White Helmet” like he is his own personal superhero who possesses magical powers. The boy constantly hugs his Superman and asks him how did he save him. The “White Helmet” wants to stay humble and merely reassures the child that he was saved because God wants him to grow up to be a man someday. Once he leaves the boy’s home he tells his colleague that he felt bad about the visit, because he did not want to appear boastful. He felt that he seemed too arrogant...