EXCLUSIVE: Local award winning Syrian filmmaker shares what toppling of Al-Assad regime means for Syria’s future
SANTA BARBARA, Calif.— Syrian filmmaker Sam Kadi has created films that shine a spotlight on the Arab world.
Kadi says he never thought he would witness the toppling of what he calls the brutal Assad regime, and is cautiously optimistic about what’s to come.
“The turn of events is incredibly historical. I mean, we're talking about taking over the entire country in literally like less than two weeks,” said Kadi.
Syria has been in political turmoil for years— with what many say felt like a perpetual civil war.
Syrian dictator Bashar Al-Assad stayed in power by silencing those who opposed him, and he did that through torture and murder.
Now that Al-Assad has fled Syria, many Syrians are celebrating the end of his regime.
“The Syrians right now are definitely full of joy to overthrow, you know, a war criminal. I mean, we're talking about over 500,000 people in prison. You're talking about over like 600,000 people that lost their lives because of, you know, the recent events in Syria,” said Kadi.
“now with the fall of the Assad regime, while there is a lot of hope and optimism of what's to come, there is still an incredible amount of uncertainty and a massive new wave of displacement,” said Shelterbox President Kerri Murray.
Murray says the Santa Barbara-based humanitarian organization has been responding to the crisis in Syria for the last 12 years, helping both internally displaced citizens and refugees.
Now that the Assad regime has been toppled, Murray says many of those refugees will come back to the country to reunite with family and friends.
The freezing winters create an urgent demand for supplies.
“These are lightweight mattresses that you can move with high thermal blankets because it's freezing in the night. This is a double wall tent areas to store your it's just for your personal effects, areas for light and ventilation. There's even areas in the tent to create rooms so you can create spaces for sleeping, for sharing meals,” said Murray.
Right now over 70% of the people living in Syria require some form of humanitarian assistance.
Though there is a growing fear that the vacuum of power will create more instability in the region, Kadi remains hopeful.
“We will have an inclusive government, we will have a democratic government. We will have government that will include all sects and all colors and all religions. And this is right now the message is coming out of the opposition on the ground,” said Kadi.
