Filmmaker Rami Farah, a Syrian living in Paris, was given a hard-drive full of footage from the first protests in Daraa, the city where the first uprising against dictator Assad began. The hard-drive was handed to him by Yadan Draji, an intellectual and accidental citizen journalist, who fled his country in 2012. The footage was recorded by Draji and four of his friends, all of whom were activists during that defining year.
Farah invited Draji and two of these fellow guerrilla journalists – Odai Al Taleb and Rani Al Mohammad Masalmah – to a special screening of the footage. The filmmaker shows the video on a cinema screen while he joins the three men on a stage to watch it. They stand in front of the screen to enhance the feeling both of stepping back in time and into what we see depicted.
It is an effective method, which bears similarities with award-winning documentary Ghost Hunting by Raed Andoni, who made former Palestinian prisoners relive their experiences while rebuilding the prisons in which they were incarcerated. For the men involved it was an incredibly emotional process, resulting in breath-taking cinema.
Our Memory Belongs to Us is less ambitious but still manages to evoke deep feelings. It is obvious the traumas are still very much present and yet to fully dealt with. The awkwardness of the situation – as the men move around uncomfortably – produces some giggles and silences at first, but as the film continues discussions become more emotional, tears are shed, and anger and frustration arise. Some of the footage even remains unseen, because it is too painful to watch.
There are also moments of relief leading up to a particular piece of footage, when they recognise the voice of Abou Nimer, a dear friend and amateur cameraman who ended up reporting the events for Al Jazeera. Fake beards and bad disguises were a signature for Nimer, which causes bouts of laughter. But Farah also shows the footage of their friend being shot down, at which point the men turn their backs on the screen.
The scenes of the masses spontaneously rising up against their oppressor are impressive, especially those at a funeral of one of the many martyrs, as people carry the casket in a massive synchronised dance, accompanied by hypnotising chants.
Our Memory Belongs To Us provides valuable insight into the birth, development and impact of a civic revolution. It also raises questions about the role and responsibility of those involved, about the definition of terrorists, and shows the importance of documenting these moments, turning personal memories into a collective one for generations to come.
Director: Rami Farah
Cinematography: Henrik Bohn Ipsen
Editing: Gladys Joujou
Music: Kinan Azmeh
Producers: Signe Byrge Sorensen, Lyana Saleh, Anne Köhncke
Production company: Final Cut For Real, On Screen Off Record Productions, OSOR Palestine
International sales: Final Cut For Real
