Everyone saids Hong King is a peaceful place.Without any serious environmental disaster like earthquake or tornado ,and battlefield between armies .However, on the other side of the world , wars,clash,etc, are happening nearly any second. Children lost their family ,who are killed in a meaningless war,stay alive without support. Homes are destroyed by bomb,bullet. Although we are living in a peaceful place, we must try to explore what others are doing. And the following article would express my point of view to the documentary named The Return to Homs, directed by Talal Derki.
The film was filmed more than 3 years in Homs, recording two major characters ,who is 19-year-old national football team goalkeeper, Abdul Baset Al-Sarout and 24-year-old Ossama, to fight for freedom and try to resist against Bashir al-Assad's Syrian Army. Abdul Baset al-Sarout end up become the leader of the militia and lead chants in the street. Another main character Ossama was a journalist , who wants to dow the attention form the worldwide that more people would give support for their cause.
There are serval scenes showing Abdul Baset Al-Sarou leads a thousands of people of sing and dancing on the street, in which they are trying to encourage others to this operation for freedom and against oppression. It shows that the popularity of Abdul Baset Al-Sarou is high among the protesters and he is trying to gather the sprite of all the supporter for enhancing morale. I am very appreciate with the responsibility that Baset owned since it is a tough job to promote any revolution against the government. However, Baset was just a football player before he really took part into this revolution and he then became a leader. By joining the revolt and leading the crowd with chants and songs, he took this responsibility of fighting for the freedom.
It is remarkable that the film maker uses the camera to take the closest footage of the urban violence that cannot not be captured by the mass media. From the footage of peaceful protests and the activities in the safe house, to the footage of the peaceful protesters became the resistance fighters and took RPG or ak47 instead of a camera or laptop. Citizens are driven away by the bombs, bullets and the snipers on the roof. However, people would gather together if someone are killed because of the battlefield and they would hold a funeral marches on the street for memorialization and appreciation. The sacrifices of each solider is a driving force for them to put more effort into the revolution. The scene that shows the battle between the civilian and the army are bloody. I think it is also one of the characteristic of documentary since a documentary is used to reflect the fact of the things that happening around us. Unlike the video that played on the tv during the news, no pixillation occurred, so that the audience can really know the truth of the things that happened in Syria.
Obviously, the revolution is high risk and dangerous. Since there are snipers and tanks arranged in different location and prepared for expelling opponents, and revolutionary army have to stay away form their sight. As a result, the revolutionary army have to make holes in the outer walls so that the machine-gun have openings to shoot from, and it is also the opening for them to have a sight look outside the building with the protection of wall. Besides they have to dig a underground tunnels, which take three weeks to make, in order to avoid the unnecessary clash to the army. The scene shot like first-person that can makes me feel like I am one of the member of the army.
Returns to Homs is a powerful and touching film that shows beautiful shot and reflect the clash that happen in Syria. Although the ending might not be a happy ending, it could draw the attention from the world that the civil war in those undeveloped country are happening everyday and lots of people dead because of these pointless battle. Although the world is promoting equality of human’s life, is it the truth?
Compare the terrorist attacks happened in Paris on 13/11 and the regular civil war in Syria, the attention of the terrorist attacks are just away higher than the one occurred in Syria. However, the number of people dead because of the civil war is maybe several times or even a hundred times than the terrorist attacks. But the mass media or the public are not considered with the one who live in Syria, and no commemoration hold. While people are cherishing the victims in Paris, changing the Facebook icon with France’s flag, why not also think about the one who are facing the fear everyday because of freedom.
We know that freedom is a basic human right that people should own, but we should also note that someone are using their life and fighting for freedom. And Returns to Homs inspire me a lot that like the umbrella movement in Hong Kong, people have the responsibility to fight for the freedom. As a part of the member in the movement, I think this film just remind me the worth of freedom. And I hope that less battle will be occurred in Syria and freedom are resting in the civilian’s hands.
The film was filmed more than 3 years in Homs, recording two major characters ,who is 19-year-old national football team goalkeeper, Abdul Baset Al-Sarout and 24-year-old Ossama, to fight for freedom and try to resist against Bashir al-Assad's Syrian Army. Abdul Baset al-Sarout end up become the leader of the militia and lead chants in the street. Another main character Ossama was a journalist , who wants to dow the attention form the worldwide that more people would give support for their cause.
There are serval scenes showing Abdul Baset Al-Sarou leads a thousands of people of sing and dancing on the street, in which they are trying to encourage others to this operation for freedom and against oppression. It shows that the popularity of Abdul Baset Al-Sarou is high among the protesters and he is trying to gather the sprite of all the supporter for enhancing morale. I am very appreciate with the responsibility that Baset owned since it is a tough job to promote any revolution against the government. However, Baset was just a football player before he really took part into this revolution and he then became a leader. By joining the revolt and leading the crowd with chants and songs, he took this responsibility of fighting for the freedom.
It is remarkable that the film maker uses the camera to take the closest footage of the urban violence that cannot not be captured by the mass media. From the footage of peaceful protests and the activities in the safe house, to the footage of the peaceful protesters became the resistance fighters and took RPG or ak47 instead of a camera or laptop. Citizens are driven away by the bombs, bullets and the snipers on the roof. However, people would gather together if someone are killed because of the battlefield and they would hold a funeral marches on the street for memorialization and appreciation. The sacrifices of each solider is a driving force for them to put more effort into the revolution. The scene that shows the battle between the civilian and the army are bloody. I think it is also one of the characteristic of documentary since a documentary is used to reflect the fact of the things that happening around us. Unlike the video that played on the tv during the news, no pixillation occurred, so that the audience can really know the truth of the things that happened in Syria.
Obviously, the revolution is high risk and dangerous. Since there are snipers and tanks arranged in different location and prepared for expelling opponents, and revolutionary army have to stay away form their sight. As a result, the revolutionary army have to make holes in the outer walls so that the machine-gun have openings to shoot from, and it is also the opening for them to have a sight look outside the building with the protection of wall. Besides they have to dig a underground tunnels, which take three weeks to make, in order to avoid the unnecessary clash to the army. The scene shot like first-person that can makes me feel like I am one of the member of the army.
Returns to Homs is a powerful and touching film that shows beautiful shot and reflect the clash that happen in Syria. Although the ending might not be a happy ending, it could draw the attention from the world that the civil war in those undeveloped country are happening everyday and lots of people dead because of these pointless battle. Although the world is promoting equality of human’s life, is it the truth?
Compare the terrorist attacks happened in Paris on 13/11 and the regular civil war in Syria, the attention of the terrorist attacks are just away higher than the one occurred in Syria. However, the number of people dead because of the civil war is maybe several times or even a hundred times than the terrorist attacks. But the mass media or the public are not considered with the one who live in Syria, and no commemoration hold. While people are cherishing the victims in Paris, changing the Facebook icon with France’s flag, why not also think about the one who are facing the fear everyday because of freedom.
We know that freedom is a basic human right that people should own, but we should also note that someone are using their life and fighting for freedom. And Returns to Homs inspire me a lot that like the umbrella movement in Hong Kong, people have the responsibility to fight for the freedom. As a part of the member in the movement, I think this film just remind me the worth of freedom. And I hope that less battle will be occurred in Syria and freedom are resting in the civilian’s hands.