Chris Temple and Zach Ingrasci do a nice job of inserting themselves into a Syrian refugee camp in order to try to humanize an incredibly complex humanitarian crisis that is often skewered by the media. Alas, they insert themselves a little too much as the beginning of the film focuses too much on their own plight and troubles, but I think these two guys genuinely made the film with a good purpose in mind. To some degree they walk a fine line between the glorification of a refugee camp rather than portraying its disastrous implications. This is not to say that the good aspects of a camp cannot be shown, i.e. the flourishing marketplace and the kindness of the people, but this should not leave the viewer with the impression that everything for these people is relatively OK. The best parts of the film were the most emotional parts; the stories of these refugees. The stories were often emotional and disheartening but embodied a rare form of human strength. Chris and Zach tried to make this emotional connection a central piece of the film and while some may argue that they did not interview enough people or only interviewed "stereotypical refugees," they focused on a select group of individuals with whom they had formed strong ties of friendship. I think this was important as Chris and Zach clearly made this film not with the most educational purposes in mind, the viewer gets relatively no overview of this very complex conflict, but with the purpose of overcoming the negativity that the Syrian refugees get from the US media. The film almost screams at you: "Not all Muslims are terrorists, there are good and bad people in any society!" This is not to diminish or be overly critical of the message, it is true after all, but the film could have provided more insight into the conflict. Nonetheless, it is a good start for people who want to learn more.
To end on one final critical note, for those watching this film it is crucial to bear in mind that as much as Chris and Zach try to portray a sense of familiarity or relatability to the refugees, these are two very different lives that appear in the film. Chris and Zach wander into the camp and they wander out. They enter the lives of Syrian refugees knowing that they have their lives back at home. For the refugees this ultimate luxury may never materialize for up to seventeen years. Their lives have become the camp. I believe Chris and Zach made this film with good intentions but I wish this major contention within the film had been addressed more directly.
