Christian persecution documentary premieres in Washington DC
"Our Last Stand," a film documenting the persecution of Christians in Syria and Iraq, premiered on the last day of the National Advocacy Convention in Washington D.C. on Friday. Producer and director Jordan Allott partnered with In Defense of Christians (IDC) to shed light on the situation of Christians in the war-torn regions of the Middle East.
Helma Adde, a Syrian American school teacher, went to Syria and Iraq to speak face to face with victims of ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria). She time in the refugee camps where Christians are staying and met with the militias who are fighting to liberate villages from ISIS. Adde also paid a visit to her parent's hometown of Quarmishli in Northern Syria.
All of Adde's insights and experiences were documented by Allot.
Allott met Adde through her father, Fr. Gabriel Adde, who is a Syrian Orthodox priest. Fr. Adde once appeared with Allott on FOX News to discuss Christian persecution in these areas. Allott had already traveled to the Middle East prior to making the film.
"There's a need to convey to American Christians, especially, what Christians in the Middle East face and the important role they've played historically," Allott said to the National Catholic Register. "I was looking for a subject for the film and knew Helma would be the ideal bridge between her community in Iraq and Syria and an American audience," he added.
The film does not propose a specific solution to the crisis in the Middle East but Allott wanted to use the film as a tool for outreach and awareness.
"Politicians need to hear about it to make it a priority," Allott said. "This film allows people outside the community to be involved," he continued.
Allott noted that most of the refugees he had met do not want to leave Syria or Iraq. "Maybe our focus should be on stabilizing these places so they can stay," Adde said.
"Our Last Stand" also premiered in New York last month. It won "Best Feature Documentary" and "Best Director" at the independent film festival Revolution Me.
The next screening of the film will be on Saturday, Sept. 17, at the Saratoga Springs Film Festival in New York.