Behind the Lines

At a glance

Behind the Lines, is a 2023 Belgian movie, directed by Alisar Hasan and Alaa Amer, and starring Amany Al-Ali. with a runtime of 64 minutes.

Overview

Draw for Change! — Behind the Lines is a documentary portrait of Amany Al-Ali, one of the few female cartoonists working in Syria, living in Idlib — the last major city not under Assad's control. Facing relentless Russian airstrikes and caught between advancing forces and extremist groups, Amany continues to draw despite threats, condemnation, and pressure to abandon her work. In a striking irony, her cartoons have been shown in galleries in France and Italy but never exhibited inside Syria. The film follows her attempt to organize her first exhibition in Idlib itself, and as she teaches drawing to local women and girls, we witness a woman's hope gradually eroding against the unrelenting violence around her. A testament to artistic courage under siege.

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