The shots and shouts of the enemy can be heard less than 80 metres away. "Now we're really in ISIS territory." Seyyed Ahmad and his army of volunteers are bed down in the thick undergrowth. "Until last night we could barely stick our heads above the trench." Dodging landmines and gunfire, Ahmad battles his way to the town of Jorf-al-Shakar, an ISIS stronghold and hotbed of extremism. As munitions rain down the soldiers push on. "I followed a group of 30 pointmen, or lane-openers". One turns to the camera for help to diffuse a mine, "I'm just a cameraman...how would I know?".

"Behind every tree there were ISIS snipers. It was like a symphony of death." Majed Neisi is risking his life. "I was scared and had no idea where my North and South was." Armed only with his camera, Neisi advances on Jorf-al-Shakur alongside the fighters: ducking explosions and enemy snipers. "In my time with them I got to know the terminology they used among themselves."

"Was I just there in that place that just blew up?" asks Majed. His army of volunteers lack funds and sophisticated weaponry. The film tracks their assault every step of the way, providing an intimate portrait of war. We witness the group's grief, laughter, fear, and fatigue, as they show remarkable resilience in the face of their staunch enemy, eventually reclaiming a town that had been all but lost to ISIS. "You have to feel the scent of gunpowder. It smells like Cardamoms."

Neisi's powerful and important work presents a vivid snapshot of the conflicts raging throughout the Middle East. As ordinary people sacrifice everything for their freedom and Neisi's camera provides a first-hand glimpse into the horrors of combat. As he himself states, "This is war. This is war and there is nothing one can do about it."

Official Selection - Visions Du Reel, 2015
Official Selection - Dok Leipzig, 2015