TOURNESOLS - AL-RASTAN

A funeral procession, a demonstration, a deserted soldier – since last year images such as these have been commonplace in Al Rastan. The Syrian small town in the vicinity of Homs is among the first places where the people rose up against the Assad regime in March 2011. The authorities hit back with extreme violence. The filmmaker who documented all of this must remain anonymous. With a strong creative will and in scenes that are often surprisingly lyrical the film seeks out signs of violence and shows interviews with witnesses of the retaliatory actions. The camera always dwells upon details, shrapnel-ridden facades, shards and sunflowers – a symbol of hope that only after the bright blossom reveals its precious fruit. Andrea Kuhn