THE screen is slowly engulfed by voices of children running and playing amongst ruined buildings as aerial footage reveals a vast grey, desolate landscape.
'Rojek' is a documentary set in post-war Syria about former ISIS militants now detained by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
It is structured around interviews with former jihadists and offers an unflinching account of the brutal regime perpetrated by Isis through its years of operation.
Canadian filmmaker Zayne Akyol is given unprecedented access to prisons and SDF military operations.
Edited by Mathieu Bochard Malo and through Akyol’s careful gaze, the film avoids pitfalls many other war-themed documentaries often succumb to: instead of fetishising the war’s atrocities, it only alludes to them.
Characters address the camera directly, a choice that makes for a more intimate exchange between subjects and viewers.
Far from reducing her interviewees to stereotypes, Akyol grants them a much more nuanced portrait, to an extent that makes it possible for viewers to humanise them.
Through interviews with low- and mid-level operatives, 'Rojek' offers new insights into how Isis sustained itself for as long as it did.
While one may think the events in Syria are so far removed from our own lives, the documentary challenges this assumption by focusing on how pernicious widely held ideologies could be wielded and controlled to manipulate populations.
A climate of fear and a sustained campaign against anti-Western sentiments were powerful recruitment techniques.
To finance their operations, gold, silver, and other loots that were stolen from regions invaded by Isis were sold to governments, private interests, and museums worldwide through intermediaries. Oil from the Isis-controlled areas was still freely traded despite military incursions.
The documentary offers no respite for its audience, questioning how complicit our governments were, but more importantly, urges viewers to consider their belief systems.
While her voice is only occasionally heard, Akyol’s presence as an experienced narrator and director can be felt as she shapes the conversation with her interviewees, allowing a deeper line of inquiry and dialogue to take place.
It was no surprise to learn that her critically acclaimed first feature, 'Gulistan, Land of Roses' dealt with a similar subject.
There are glimpses into present-day Syria, now under the control of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) who routinely conduct security checks, training exercises and military operations to root out the remainder of Isis cells.
While it risks losing its dynamism by only having interviews make up a majority of its two-hour runtime, Akyol’s intention is clear: fundamentalist principles are not a trait exclusive to members of Isis.
Similar strategies are being used by political parties and fringe groups around the world to maintain and increase their influence.
The experience afterwards left me asking more questions about myself and my worldview than curiosity about the subject itself. In an age where misinformation and populism thrive over scientific inquiry and rationality, 'Rojek' is required viewing. – The Vibes, July 17, 2022
