Watch The War Show

The War Show is a powerful documentary that takes viewers on a journey through the Syrian conflict, which began in 2011. The film is directed by Andreas Dalsgaard and Obaidah Zytoon, who is also the film's main subject. She acts as the narrator while documenting her life and the lives of her friends as they navigate through the chaos and destruction of the conflict.

The film starts out in 2011, with Zytoon and her friends expressing their excitement for the revolution against President Bashar al-Assad's regime. The group shares stories of their early protests and the sense of unity they felt with the other activists involved in the movement. The first half of the movie provides a glimpse into the pre-war lives of these young people in Damascus, their dreams, their hopes, and their aspirations.

One of the most notable aspects of The War Show is the amount of footage that was shot during the early days of the conflict. Zytoon and her friends were on the ground, capturing everything around them with their cameras. This allowed the film to show a unique perspective of the conflict that was not available in mainstream media.

As the conflict intensifies, the film becomes darker, and the viewer sees the impact of the war on the lives of the Syrian people. Zytoon and her friends were not immune to the destruction and violence - some of them lose family members, others must flee their homes, and some are captured and imprisoned by the regime.

The film follows the same group of friends, and we also see how their relationships start to change. The once defiant activists who marched together all of a sudden turned on each other because of the conflict's different factions. One scene follows a profound discussion in southern Syria between Zytoon and a commander named Amal. Amal, who started as a protester fighting for democracy, is now a commander in the Free Syrian Army. She is also a female leader, which is unusual in this deeply patriarchal society. Through Amal, the film shows how the revolution has become a battleground for different factions, each fighting for their interests.

The War Show also highlights the people who are most affected by the conflict: those living in war-torn areas. The images of bombed-out buildings, wounded children, and refugees fleeing their homes are incredibly painful to watch. Despite the brutal reality, Zytoon manages to convey a sense of resilience among the Syrian people. We also see how the people try to maintain a sense of normalcy in their daily lives in the midst of the chaos.

The War Show is not just a film about war – it’s also a film about the human condition. It shows the challenges that the human spirit can overcome, the power of friendship and love, and how people stay hopeful even in the darkest of times. In a time when we often see conflict in the news as an abstraction or a faraway issue, the War Show puts faces to the people affected by war and gives an intimate perspective of the Syrian conflict.

Overall, The War Show is an impressive documentary that offers a unique view of the Syrian conflict. It shows the aspirations of the Syrian revolution in its early days, the failures, and the hopes of people who suffer the most in the war. This compelling film is a must-watch, not just for those who want to understand the Syrian conflict, but for anyone who wants to see the human impact of war.

The War Show is a 2017 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 45 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.3.