06/03/2023 - BERLINALE 2023: The production of Heba Khaled, Talal Derki and Ali Wajeeh's film fell victim to the very issue it addresses, but it remains an important document and a sign of hope against all odds

Many films run into production complications, but what Under the Sky of Damascus [+see also:
trailer
film profile], the new film by Berlin-based Syrian exiles Heba Khaled and her partner Talal Derki (Of Fathers and Sons [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]), and Damascus-based Ali Wajeeh, manages and does not manage to accomplish is a painful example of how a documentary can fall victim to the exact issue it addresses. The picture world-premiered in the Berlinale's Panorama.

Guided by Khaled's voice-over, the film follows a group of Damascus women who are working on a play about misogyny in Syrian society, which has only been exacerbated by the war. Now, an even smaller number of men dominate over the large female majority left in the country.

The five middle-class, educated women, among whom Farah and Souhir seem to be leading the way, rent an abandoned house, decrepit but once obviously beautiful, where they start working on the play. These segments alternate with interviews with women who tell of their suffering at the hands of men – husbands, fathers, brothers, cousins – which they are basing the play on.

One of them is once-famous actress Sabah Al-Salem, who spent years in prison, and she is filmed in an apartment, while other victims are interviewed at the cloth factory or in a mental hospital. Their stories are horrifying, and their faces and tears even more telling, but what comes out is that many of these women have little or nothing left to lose, while a multitude of others are too intimidated to speak on camera, even if filmed in the shadows, as some of the cloth-factory workers chose to do.

Meanwhile, Ilana is shown in an argument with her mother and father before she decides to move out: it is one of those political disagreements that can result in families ceasing to talk to each other. This is not the case here, but it gives us a glimpse into the wider picture of society – as do cinematographer Raed Sandeed's perceptive shots that often catch signs of everyday sexism on the streets of the largely destroyed city.

Despite artistic differences, the troupe pushes on, until Eliana suddenly sends an odd voice message that she can't continue. Sensing that something is off, this kind of behaviour being not at all like their friend, the women travel to Beirut to meet Khaled. Through interviews with Ilana and Eliana, we learn why the production has been halted: it would be a spoiler to reveal the most interesting part of the film, but it is directly connected to the very issue their play is exploring.

It’s a pity that the co-directors did not decide to focus more on this element, as it reveals even further how deeply ingrained the misogyny is, but this remark should be read in context. Some pieces of this story are shown in the film, which in turn means that conceivably many more details had to be left out because of a logistical nightmare and delicate interpersonal disputes.

The same issues could also be the reason why the interviews with abused women play out more like a compilation of devastating testimonies than a concise whole, making for a somewhat underwhelming viewing experience despite their gut-wrenching nature. Still, there is plenty of strength and sensitivity in this documentary. Stories of several interviewees will be hard for any viewer to shake, while the powerful presence of the lead protagonists gives reasons for hope despite the destiny of both this picture and the play they were working on.

Under the Sky of Damascus is a co-production between Denmark's Real Lava and Germany's Jouzour Film. Submarine Entertainment has the international rights.