Reports | 25 05 2020
BBC Arabic announced on November 2nd the names of winners of its 2015 Film and Documentaries Festival 2015, in all four categories, namely: feature documentaries films; short documentaries; Reportages; and the award for young journalists; under the theme "Ruler and Ruled: Power in a changing Arab world."
The British Broadcasting Corporation [BBC] awarded the Feature Documentary award to Syrian film “The Immortal Sergeant" [runtime: 72 minutes, directed by Ziad Kalthoum]. The film deals with the story of a young Syrian straddling two very divergent worlds: The first depicts the life of him as a conscript in military service; whilst the second depicts the life of the same young man's life, during his works on the set of a film with [well known Syrian] director Mohammad Malas in 2012.
Of the audience who watched the film, say that it observes the world of “pro-[Syrian] regime as well as regime opposition.” With regard to this particular point, the film's director Ziad Kalthoum says: “I tried to put forth a purely humanitarian point of view. I truly do not comprehend—nor observe any—difference between ‘loyalists’ and opposition.’"
In a telephone interview with Rozana, Kalthoum states: "Every young [Syrian] man may be exposed to a similar experience. What remains, is the humanitarian attitude towards what he experiences.” He rejects the classification of his film as ‘political’ film; as he calls—in film’s final scene—to laying down arms. He does so, based on his own personal experience; as he decided to maintain the same distance from all parties. He rejected butchery committed on behalf of the Syrian [regime] army; at the same time declining to condone the Islamic factions at the opposite end.
The scenes depicting the mandatory [military] service in the film, were shot with a 50 mega-pixel resolution mobile phone camera. In this regard, the young director advises that it is the "situation that dictates the proper tools to complete the cinematic material; it is that which imposes the usage conditions, as well as the proper method of employing these tools."
Director Ziad Kalthoum is currently preparing for his new film Deek Beirut [Beirut’s Rooster]. The films depicts the lives of Syrian workers who work in the construction sector in the Lebanese capital Beirut; juxtaposing it against their country, currently being demolished.
Kalthoum was born 1981 in the Syrian city of Homs. Prior to directing feature documentaries, he worked as an assistant director on several films, serials, and television programs. His first documentary Aydil [O, my heart!] was selected for the 2012 Carthage Film Festival.
