Ali Alibrahim’s short documentary offers a look at life in the Syrian city of Aleppo during a rare lull in activity in that nation’s civil war. While there is no shortage of wreckage and ruin, the drones flying over bomb-damaged buildings and streets capture no attacks. On-the-ground footage shows efforts to maintain life as close to normal as possible. Children make the most of their situation, finding ways to have fun in this bleak city: colorful murals are painted on bullet-scarred walls, and a bombed-out bus is transformed into a jungle gym. Women cook meals for their families, a group of men appear to be manufacturing fuel from heated scrap plastic, and one man engages in an extensive meal preparation routine in order to feed many of the city’s stray cats. But the horror of war has not evaporated, and the dead and injured can be seen in fleeting glimpses. One Day in Aleppo contains no dialogue and a few moments appear staged, most notably when a child walks through an empty school and finds graded papers among the rubble. But overall this is a powerful slice-of-life portrait of a city caught in a harrowing conflict with no end in sight. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)
One Day in Aleppo
(2017) 24 min. DVD: $150. Grasshopper Film (www.grasshopperfilm.com). PPR.
One Day in Aleppo
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: