A Flood in Baath Country is a Syria

Syria

Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....

n documentary film by the director Omar Amiralay

Omar Amiralay

Omar Amiralay was a Syrian documentary film director and prominent civil society activist. He is noted for the strong political criticism in his films and played a prominent role in the events of the Damascus Spring of 2000....

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The documentary explores the implications of Baath Party policies in Syria. Without commentary or criticism, Amiralay's film exposes Baath party propaganda and its debilitating effects on the people of al-Mashi village, 400 kilometres (248.5 mi) northeast of Damascus

Damascus

Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...

. The film moves slowly from students to teachers to government officials, with everyone reciting exactly the same praise for the president and slogans glorifying the Baath party. The film is a harsh indictment of the regime, portraying the devastating effects of 35 years of rigid Baath party rule on Syrian society.

External links

• Grand Prix du long métrage documentaire - Festival du film arabe à Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris.