There’s no shortage of dark content in modern film. For every bright and hopeful Hollywood feature there’s a chilling, soul-crushing equivalent waiting around the corner. What I haven’t seen before is the kind of honest, utterly bleak story that is told in 'Silvered Water, Syria Self-Portrait'.
Directed by Ossama Mohammed and Wiam Simav Bedirxan, 'Silvered Water' is a documentary of raw elements – the entire film consists of footage taken from personal phones and cameras to create a collage of the pain, despair, and senseless violence that is currently overflowing in Syria. The clips range from silent, frantically unstable videos, through to well-shot amateur-captured moments and everything in between. The numerous moments are pieced together by audio conversations between Mohammed, who fled the civil war and now lives in Paris, and Bedirxan, who has remained behind to fight and record more eye-witness stories.
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The premise is far from a conventional film, but it’s the content that will make this a difficult viewing for even seasoned audiences. Shootings, beatings, and detailed inspection of the maimed and killed are displayed at very close distances, and Mohammed shows no mercy in cutting away from the frontal gore. The images are haunting, terrifying, and at times unbelievably cruel, and the small glimpses of hope that occasionally cut through the gloom are nowhere near enough to end the film very far from despondence.
Afterwards, with hands shaking and no clear idea of how to begin interpreting what I’d seen, I spoke with a similarly shocked audience member (among the few that didn’t walk out midway, unable to handle the film’s content). Amanda considered that perhaps the most confronting aspect of 'Silvered Water' was its present setting – this isn’t a historical war documentary. There’s been no closure, peace or resolution for the victims; new captured images of terror are no doubt still occurring with every minute. In that way, we noted that this project is not simply about informing the public, but also heralding a much-needed call to action – to shed a stark, unforgiving light on a civil war that is tearing a country and its people apart.
'Silvered Water, Syria Self-Portrait' is not an easy film to watch for anyone. It certainly is not meant to be enjoyed, or to entertain in any way. But Mohammed’s painfully clear message does need to be seen and heard, and amidst the noise and roar of blockbuster film, 'Silvered Water 'delivers that statement like a breathtaking, blood-chilling shot to the heart.Amanda – I hope you had better luck sleeping that night than I did.
★★★ 1/2
'Silvered Water, Syria Self-Portrait' had its Australian premiere at the Brisbane Asia Pacific Film Festival.
This review appeared first on This Is Film.
