THE WHITE HELMETS
NETFLIX / OUT NOW / CERT 12 / 42 MINS DIRECTOR Orlando von Einsiedel CAST Khalid Farah, Mohammed Fareh, Abu Omar
AIR STRIKES, FRANTIC on-site clamouring and compassionate reflection form the soundtrack to this short, slightly haphazard yet hard-hitting documentary that reveals the humanitarian aid administered by The White Helmets, a volunteer rescue force of 2,900 civilians who bring unerring courage to their work amid the rubble of war-torn Syria. Von Einsiedel tells their tale via three men who’ve surrendered their livelihoods to work in Aleppo, digging, fire-fighting and facing death on a daily basis. Featuring unflinching footage shot by The White Helmets (named after their headgear) as they work the ruins, their story of 58,000 lives saved burns as a beacon of hope in a land wracked by despair.