I wasn’t entirely convinced by this documentary from Gianfranco Rosi, but there are two distinct and captivating moments that really resonated with me. One involves a young boy explaining the unsettling significance behind what appear to be simple children's drawings on his classroom wall; the other depicts men in red clothing held in conditions strikingly similar to those used for commercial egg production. The rest of the film, which accumulated over three years of shooting, illustrates daily life within the “Caliphate” for communities—particularly the Yazidi—in Syria, Kurdistan, Lebanon and parts of Iraq as ISIS imposed its version of Islamic law across a considerable area of the Middle East. There’s no narration; instead, it's composed of observations that occasionally include conversations from people grappling with the devastation of their towns and villages. While it acknowledges the brutality of this new authoritarian regime, what truly stands out is the unsettling sense of emptiness in so many lives. The resilience of these individuals is remarkable—their hope, faith, and optimism are quite striking considering the collapse of their society, which is effectively portrayed through photography that can be both close-up and expansive. It does wander at times, and I wonder if the thousand-day timeframe hindered a stronger sense of direction. Ultimately, this serves as a moving portrayal of how religious belief and authority overshadowed human dignity and liberty, yet life continued for many in a manner that seemed almost ordinary. However, it could have benefited from a more defined narrative thread or central character. It’s still worth seeing, though.

Source on TMDB