City of Ghosts

Description

City of Ghosts refers to the city Raqqa, the foothold of the ISIS regime in Syria, where Muslim extremists perpetuate propaganda and misinformation to the public, hiding what is really happening in the city. In Matthew Heineman’s (Cartel Land, 2015) powerful and urgent new documentary, he follows the men behind Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently (RBSS)—a group of citizen journalists who have risked their personal freedom and safety to confront ISIS by sharing information. Armed with video cameras, Facebook, and Twitter, the men of RBSS find that truth is the most effective weapon and risk their lives to show the rest of the world what is happening to their city and their fellow citizens. We are introduced to the founders of RBSS in exile, in Turkey and Berlin, as it has become too dangerous for them to stay in Raqqa, and with incredible access to these men, we bear witness to the threats, fear, and tension that they experience daily. In our current political climate, the mission of this film’s subjects –ordinary men doing extraordinary things – becomes more urgent than ever, as these men fight to share the truth for their family, their country, and the greater good. —Amanda Salazar

After the screening on April 13, there will be a conversation with director Matthew Heineman and the Executive Director, Middle East and North Africa Division of Human Rights Watch, Sarah Leah Whitson.

Film Details