Three years in the making this feature length documentary offers unique insights into the roots of the Syrian Revolution and how what began as a peaceful uprising turned into a very brutal conflict as the Assad regime cracked down.

‘Syria – The Impossible Revolution,’ a film by Anne daly and Ronan Tynan, seeks to unravel the roots and ‘complexities’ of the bloodiest conflict in the Middle East as well as the politics of the Western response. It also examines why some elements on the Left are on the same page as the extreme Right defending the Assad regime against “US imperialism” apparently oblivious to the role of Iran and especially Russia and her indiscriminate bombing of civilians as well as hospitals which many charge are warcrimes?

The film traces the roots of the Syrian revolution through the regime of Assad’s father up to the fall of Aleppo. Using extensive archive and interviews with a wide range of people directly involved as well as experts on the region, the documentary seeks to offer some understanding about a conflict that has plumbed new depths in terms of the toll it has extracted on civilians. Some suggest more than five hundred thousand are already dead, half the population have fled their homes and five millions are now refugees in Europe and neighbouring countries with little prospect of returning any time soon.

End of long journey Premiere tonight of our ‘Syria-The Impossible Revolution’ #LSE Hong Kong Thre @6.30 see u there! https://t.co/n7dP1CYWnr — Anne Daly (@annedaly19) October 18, 2017

The film also examines the rise of the jihadis including Islamic State and Al Qaeda with evidence partly nurtured by Assad as he tries to present himself as “fighting the war on terror”. Meanwhile, the country has drawn in almost every major power, as well as all of the leading regional powers. But one thing is clear, civilians and ordinary Syrians seem to count for little or nothing in their calculations.

Syria – The Impossible Revolution will premiere in London on October 18 in the Hong Kong Theatre at the London School of Economics. The film will be launched by photographer Paul Conroy who was wounded in Syria in the attack that led to the killing of well known war correspondent Marie Colvin when Assad regime artillery destroyed their press centre.

Syria – The Impossible Revolution: Launch of Documentary Feature Film

– 20:00

http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/government/event/syria-the-impossible-revolution-launch-of-documentary-feature-film/

Congratulations to @RonanLTynan and @annedaly19 for the premiere of their film "Syria: The Impossible Revolution" tonight in London! pic.twitter.com/J8c2UWJSE6 — Marc Nelson (@Marcnelsonart) October 18, 2017

Speakers:

Paul Conroy, Photographer, and with Marie Colvin when murdered in Syria – will launch film. Also author of ‘Under The Wire: Marie Colvin’s Final Assignment’

Peter Tatchell, Human Rights Campaigner and Director, Peter Tatchell Foundation

Ronan Tynan, Director/Co-Producer – ‘Syria – The Impossible Revolution’

Sawsan Abou Zainedin, Syrian Human Rights Defender

Chair: Brian Klaas, LSE Fellow in Comparative Politics in the Department of Government, LSE

‘Syria – The Impossible Revolution’, a film by Anne Daly and Ronan Tynan, seeks to unravel the roots and ‘complexities’ of the bloodiest conflict in the Middle East as well as the politics of the Western response. It also examines why some elements on the Left are on the same page as the extreme Right, defending the Assad regime against “US imperialism” apparently oblivious to the role of Iran and especially Russia and her indiscriminate bombing of civilians as well as hospitals which many charge are war crimes?

The film traces the roots of the Syrian revolution through the regime of Assad’s father up to the fall of Aleppo. Using extensive archive and interviews with a wide range of people directly involved as well as experts on the region, the documentary seeks to offer some understanding about a conflict that has plumbed new depths in terms of the toll it has extracted on civilians. Some suggest more than five hundred thousand are already dead, half the population have fled their homes and five millions are now refugees in Europe and neighbouring countries with little prospect of returning any time soon.

Watch the film trailer

Duration: 88 minutes

Entry to the event will be on a first come, first served basis with no ticket required.

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