“The documentary “From the Edge of Sanity” is interwoven with the destiny of a Christian family from Syria. At the peak of the war, two sons and a daughter of Younes Ayoub and Helen Alashehab leave the war-torn fatherland. Fear of terrorists and a desire to preserve the family together forced the 65-year-old Helen to go after their children. The family sold most of the property to pay smugglers to take them to Europe. The hero of the film, seventy years old Younes Ayoub, remains in Damascus” (Official Synopsis)
“From the Edge of Sanity” shows us the devastating effect of the Syrian Crisis through a family that was forced to separate. The documentary tells the family story through interviews, while also showing some of the atrocities committed on the Syrian people. The film becomes a stark contrast of disconcerting images, including footage of casualties in the conflict, against showcasing the solidarity of a family in times of crisis. This juxtaposition does exist to solidify the understanding of what the family had to endure to get to the safe haven they are now in. The film also contains shots of Damascus, a place romanticized by the family, and brings across their love and hope for the future of their homeland. This deepens the understanding of how even away from the conflict, the family still desires peace for their land, in order to return.
The film's visuals are mixed, which comes in the way of the graphic imagery. It is impossible for an audience not to have such a strong emotional reaction with graphic imagery, it will be deeply upsetting for all audiences. However, the footage feels necessary in conveying the real life horror that the people had to suffer, and does give deeper understanding to the subjects' plight. It is important to note that this footage does seem vital for the narrative and does not feel exploitative or forced to add shock value.
Separating the more graphic content from the rest of the production, the film is well shot. The interview pieces are a bit more conventional, consisting of mostly sit down, single location interviews. Where the visuals become more pronounced is in the shots of the landscapes and people of Syria. There are shots of the most war torn areas, both from the ground as well as overhead shots that frame the tragic destruction in a profound way. But the film also ensures to get shots of the places where the landscape is still intact and the people are able to try to continue their lives. These shots of Damascus, and the people living there, grounds the family's statements of their love for their homeland.
“From the Edge of Sanity” frames the Syrian crisis in a way that is often overlooked and lost in politics. It focuses on the effects of the atrocities on the individuals caught in between the conflict. On those who do love their country and want nothing but the best for it. It may not encapsulate the larger issues at hand in Syria, but it does remind us of the importance of keeping people's humanity at the front of our considerations when discussing these sort of global issues.
Overall, the subject matter within the production is bound to determine if the viewer is interested in this documentary. But coming from someone who admittedly had limited understanding of the current political climate, there was still a lot to be gleaned from the subject matter. It is hard to imagine any viewer not coming away from this documentary unaffected by it's content or impressed by it's technical aspects within it's half an hour run time.
