“The White Helmets” is a short documentary movie by British journalist Nagieb Khaja about Syrian Civil defence workers. The White Helmets is a voluntary organisation which operates in rebel-controlled areas within the Syrian Civil War, mostly with medical evacuations, taking civilians away from danger zones and search & rescue missions after missile attacks
In the White Helmets documentary, Nagieb Khaja follows a group of these people in their daily operations. Like many things we have seen from the Syrian war, this one is not short of horrific scenes of wanton carnage, but it also shows the heroic actions of people who just want to save the lives of others. With a daily barrage of airstrikes and facing a despicable organisation, these few will continue to help every day until the war is finally over, though it is still uncertain of when that will be and how many more will have to lose their lives.
This close intimate film was first shown in Sweden in 2016 and won the crew who made it “the Best Documentary” (Short Subject) at the 89th Academy Awards.
