''Red Lines'' is a

documentary film A documentary film (often described simply as a documentary) is a nonfiction Film, motion picture intended to "document reality, primarily for instruction, education or maintaining a Recorded history, historical record". The American author and ...

produced by Spark Media in 2014. It depicts the ongoing

civil war A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...

and the efforts of activists Mouaz Moustafa and Razan Shalab-al-Sham to raise international support for the revolution and to promote democracy in the Middle East.

Synopsis

In 2011, protests against Syrian president

Bashar al-Assad Bashar al-Assad (born 11September 1965) is a Syrian politician, military officer and former dictator Sources characterising Assad as a dictator: who served as the president of Syria from 2000 until fall of the Assad regime, his government ...

turned into a violent conflict between the Syrian government and revolutionaries. As the revolution continues, wealthy Syrian socialite-turned-activist Razan teams up with Syrian-American lobbyist Mouaz to forge a link between the

Free Syrian Army The Free Syrian Army (FSA; ) is a Big tent, big-tent coalition of decentralized Syrian opposition (2011–2024), Syrian opposition rebel groups in the Syrian civil war founded on 29 July 2011 by Colonel Riad al-Asaad and six officers who defe ...

, the Syrian Emergency Task Force, and the West. However, their goal of a free and democratic Syria is put under strain as the revolution in Syria turns from bad to worse, and Western governments prove reluctant to get involved, despite the growing humanitarian crisis.

Release

''Red Lines'' debuted in

Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

at the Hot Docs film festival in April 2014, where it was named in the festival's Top 20 Audience Picks. The film was later acquired by distribution company FilmBuff and released through Video On Demand in July 2014. The film broadcast on Free Speech TV. The original soundtrack was released through CD Baby.

Reception

Following its premiere at Hot Docs 2014, Bob Turnball of "Eternal Sunshine of the Logical Mind" deemed Red Lines as "an early candidate for the most moving film of the

festival A festival is an event celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic aspect or aspects of that community and its religion or cultures. It is often marked as a local or national holiday, Melā, mela, or Muslim holidays, eid. A ...

." ''Red Lines'' was also acclaimed to be "one of the most inspiring films this year" by Myrocia Watamaniuk, International Programmer for Hot Docs. Sam Cooper of Pretty Clever Films noted that ''Red Lines'' was, "easily…one of the most important films at this year's Hot Docs." We Got This Covered describes the film as "eye opening" and "will have you on the edge of your seat." ''Red Lines'' was the winner of Best Documentary Feature at Woodstock Film Festival in 2014, which was also the films United States premiere. ''Red Lines'' also received the Gold TIVA-DC Award, a Gold Pixie Award for the animated closing credits, the Tiburon International Film Festival Humanitarian Award, three IndieFEST awards including the Humanitarian Award and the Award of Excellence, the Global Film Humanitarian Award, and most recently the Ramdam Film Festival Most Disturbing Film Award. The UK premiere took place September 25 at the Rich Mix Cultural Foundation.

External links

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References

{{Reflist, 30em 2014 films Spark Media Documentary films about the Syrian civil war 2014 documentary films American documentary films 2010s English-language films 2010s American films Films scored by Armand Amar English-language documentary films