Red Lines (2014)

Red Lines provides a rare window into the Syrian conflict, taking us from the trenches to the halls of power worldwide and becoming, along the way, a searing exposé of an inhumane crisis that goes on, as do the two young activists who have fought for its end with conscience, technology, and an inspired blueprint for democracy. Under threat of death and armed only with the internet, two young, unlikely Syrian activists organize when no one else will. A wealthy socialite-turned-revolutionary, Razan coordinates a smuggling network for bringing humanitarian aid and journalists into Syria. Damascus-born Mouaz works his contacts in the West, becoming a primary source for intel from the opposition on the ground, carrying dire implications for the entire region. While pleading their case abroad, the two navigate a minefield at home, facing agonizing decisions of who to aid and who to trust, all while hatching a Trojan-horse plan to counter the extremists’ rise to power by creating one free, democratically run village and spreading from there. But when the Assad regime redoubles its attacks on civilians with tactical starvation, barrel bombs and even chemical warfare, hope for the entire region suffers crushing casualties.