Nowhere To Hide portrays war-torn life through curious interviews and on-the-fly videography.  The doc’s results are unnerving and scary, but essential when understanding a culture who were rediscovering themselves.

When American troops are pulled out of Iraq in 2011, filmmaker Zaradasht Ahmed tagged along with medic Nori Sharif to document the country on the mend.  Ahmed is given exclusive intimacy (with the permission of those around him) and the doc works as a third-party scope for interested audiences intrigued by a fly-on-the-wall experience.  However, a random idea to give Sharif his own camera to videotape his own footage gives the documentary much needed leverage and originality.  From there, Nowhere to Hide becomes a character piece about a confident, integral man who becomes less assured as he protects his own family from threats that continue to terrorize his home country.

Nowhere to Hide is a very good documentary, but it’s incredibly intense.  Ahmed, along with Sharif’s additional video, reveal tragedy in a respectful way that’s close-up, but not exploitative.  Still, these images are bound to stick with viewers who are either faint of heart or have a hard time comprehending death.  However, having Nori Sharif by our side is an encouraging move considering how strong he is in the face of danger.

Nonetheless, Nowhere to Hide offers a sombre yet unforgettable slice of life.

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Addison Wylie: @AddisonWylie