ISIS, Deserters Speak Out

The stylized landscape shots of southern Turkey contrast starkly with the stories told by deserters from Islamic State forces. Having fled Syria, they share their experiences in gruesome detail. Out of fear for reprisals, they are filmed from behind and remain unidentifiable. It’s by no means easy getting out of the Syrian city of Raqqa, but the real challenge is avoiding vengeful former comrades. The true subject of this film is the men in southern Turkey who are trying to get the renegades out of Syria. It’s a hazardous and herculean task. Any deserter could be a spy, and one poor judgment could put the whole mission at risk. The deserters’ stories also explain what attracted them to join IS: security, electricity, a salary of 100 dollars per month and their desire for a truly Islamic state. On the last count, they were to be disappointed – one of the men explains how he came to regret his decision when he saw the decapitated body of a bride in a mass grave.