Al-Monitor | Rohollah Faghihi: Iranian director�Ebrahim�Hatamikia's "Damascus Time� is the first major Iranian film�about the country's presence in Syria. Ever since its first screening at�Iran�s�Fajr International Film Festival in February, the film�has caused controversy, both for its take on�the subject and its artistic value.


�Damascus Time� narrates the story of an Iranian cargo plane that�leaves Tehran for Syria. The time frame is unclear, but the focus is on the efforts of the Iranian volunteers who are fighting against the Islamic State�(IS) in Syria. While on a mission to deliver humanitarian goods, the two pilots are caught by IS fighters�and held captive. The film�was recorded at�different air bases in Iran as well as in�Damascus, and includes several�scenes showing IS fighters beheading hostages�and depicts the propaganda work�of terrorists.

At the festival in Fajr, the film�won awards�for best director and best soundtrack.�But like many of Hatamikia's films, �Damascus Time��is�controversial, both in terms of subject and point of view.

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