In Syria

An old man stands smoking at the window. Two girls argue about who gets to use the bathroom first. Their mother prepares breakfast. And a young couple happily gaze at their sleeping newborn baby. But appearances are deceiving: the people in these supposedly safe “four walls” are in Damascus during the Syrian civil war. The resolute housewife Oum Yazan (Hiam Abbass) hides her family, consisting of her father-in-law and three children, as well as other people seeking shelter, in the apartment. Disaster lurks outside the walls: explosions, helicopters, and snipers dominate life. Windows are covered, water and electricity are scarce. “Inside Life” is an emotionally stirring chamber drama about the civilian population in the Syrian civil war. With almost documentary-like directness, it shows how passivity in the face of war in an apartment becomes a psychological burden and a moral ordeal. Director Philippe Van Leeuw celebrated the premiere of his powerful, haunting film at the 2017 Berlinale, where, despite the serious subject matter, it won the Audience Award in the Panorama section.