Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Captains of Zaatari’ on Hulu, an Eloquent Documentary About Two Syrian Refugees With Big Soccer Dreams

We often see sports stories, true or fictional, about young hopefuls dreaming of escaping the place they feel confines them, and Captains of Zaatari – now on Hulu – is easily among the most poignant examples of this trope. Director Ali El Arabi follows two Syrian teenage footballers hoping their passion, dedication and skill on the soccer pitch will allow them to get out of the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan, erected in the wake of the Syrian Civil War (which began in 2011 and continues to this day). The resulting 73-minute documentary follows these young men as they try to find some hope among so much despair.

CAPTAINS OF ZAATARI: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

The Gist: Fawzi Qatleesh and Mahmoud Dagher are all but inseparable. They make a fine complementary pair: Fawzi is confident, a bit brash and headstrong, and captains their soccer team; Mahmoud isn’t quite his match on the field, but he makes up for it with savvy and a bit of wisdom that belies his 17 years on this earth. It’s telling that Mahmoud has a girlfriend while Fawzi acts as if he doesn’t have time to fall in love. They line up for clothing rations in the camp; they play soccer in sandals or barefoot on a gravel pitch; at night, they crouch outside in the only place they can get a decent cell phone signal and chat with friends or family or each other, until the cold forces them back in.

We spend most of our time with Fawzi. We see him seated on the floor, helping his sister learn English before their candles burn out. He lives in a room without electricity with his mother and younger sister; his father was arrested and taken away for trying to find work outside the camp. He says that when he becomes a famous soccer player, he’ll use his money and sway to “bring dad back.” Meanwhile, Mahmoud is chastised for skipping school to play soccer, and he argues that an education isn’t going to get him out of this camp.

Opportunity for both arises when representatives from the Aspire Academy arrive to scout athletes for a soccer tournament in Qatar. Both of our protagonists play well for critical eyes, but only Mahmoud makes the team – a technicality victimizes Fawzi, as he learns after the fact that, at 19, he’s too old to qualify. Off goes Mahmoud to Doha, a cushy hotel and a fairly bright international spotlight, as some games will be televised. Fawzi is crushed. He ventures off camp to visit his father, who’s sick, but still toiling, waxing cars; when Fawzi leaves, the ailing man breaks down in tears. Surprisingly, Aspire officials soon change their minds about Fawzi and allow him to not only play, but assume the captaincy of the Syrian Dream team. He knocks on Mahmoud’s hotel-room door and surprises him. He didn’t know Fawzi was coming. They’re delighted, reunited.

What Movies Will It Remind You Of?: Captains of Zaatari echoes the powerful sentiment of 1994’s groundbreaking Hoop Dreams – surely one of the greatest documentaries ever made – which followed a pair of inner-city Chicago boys for five years as they dreamt of playing in the NBA.

Performance Worth Watching: Our core duo, of course, specifically when they’re together. Scenes in which Fawzi and Mahmoud forget about the depression surrounding them and horse around and tease each other and generally act like rambunctious teenagers – those scenes are the heart of this profoundly moving film.

Memorable Dialogue: Mahmoud shows insight far beyond his years during a televised press conference in Qatar: “All a refugee needs is an opportunity, not your pity.”

Sex and Skin: None.

Our Take: Captains of Zaatari is an emotionally engaging, admirably pithy and surprisingly poetic documentary that keenly balances raw, candid moments with stirring visual artistry. Arabi frames his young subjects as silhouettes against a breathtaking golden sunset; he holds his camera unblinkingly on Fawzi’s mother as she watches his game on TV, clutching a handkerchief tight as he winces in pain, injured on the pitch. Using verite, handheld-camera techniques and never spoonfeeding us details via talking heads or subtitles, the director weaves together a narrative about these boys out of observation and keen intuition.

The tough truth of the film is, this story isn’t a cliche. Fawzi and Mahmoud’s post-tournament prospects aren’t great. They may get to mingle with star footballers and splash in hot tubs for a month, but their return to Zaatari is inevitable. Arabi’s work illustrates his diligence as a filmmaker, embedding himself in the lives of these two young men, earning their trust so we can better understand their joys and sorrows. At the end of the film, the director shows them some years hence, beards on their faces, coaching kids on the pitch, Mahmoud prodding Fawzi about his intention to marry his girlfriend. They’re still in Zaatari, but they’re still together. It’s a moment that’s sad and uplifting at the same time.

Our Call: STREAM IT. Captains of Zaatari is a penetrating, eloquent and dynamic documentary capturing the spectrum of emotions within the granular details of its subjects’ experiences. It’s a must-see.

John Serba is a freelance writer and film critic based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Read more of his work at johnserbaatlarge.com.