Men hold a white cloth over actors as they perform a scene in a film directed by Humam Husari in the rebel-held besieged town of Zamalka, in the Damascus suburbs, Syria September 19, 2016. A Syrian filmmaker whose harrowing footage of sarin gas victims in 2013 was seen around the world is using his experience of the attack and conflict to make a drama looking at why people take up arms in a war which began as a peaceful revolution. Humam Husari's self-financed short film explores the chemical attack near Damascus through the eyes of a rebel fighter who lost his wife and child but was denied time to bury them. Instead, he is called to defend his town from a government offensive. The story is based on real-life events, he said. “We need to understand how people were pushed into this war and to be part of it”, said Husari, 30. “I am talking about a story that I lived with. They are real characters”. (Photo by Bassam Khabieh/Reuters)





Actors are seen on a set during filming of a film directed by Humam Husari in the rebel-held besieged town of Zamalka, in the Damascus suburbs, Syria September 19, 2016. (Photo by Bassam Khabieh/Reuters)





Syrian director Humam Husari (wearing pink) directs actors while cameraman Sami al-Shami (wearing white) operates a camera as they film a scene in the rebel-held besieged town of Zamalka, in the Damascus suburbs, Syria September 19, 2016. (Photo by Bassam Khabieh/Reuters)





Actors perform a scene in a film directed by Humam Husari in the rebel-held besieged town of Zamalka, in the Damascus suburbs, Syria September 19, 2016. (Photo by Bassam Khabieh/Reuters)





Syrian director Humam Husari (wearing pink) and cameraman Sami al-Shami (far right) operate a camera as they film a scene in the rebel-held besieged town of Zamalka, in the Damascus suburbs, Syria September 19, 2016. (Photo by Bassam Khabieh/Reuters)





Director Humam Husari edits his film after finishing the filming at his office in the rebel held Douma neighbourhood of Damascus, Syria October 5, 2016. (Photo by Bassam Khabieh/Reuters)





Syrian director Humam Husari (center left) and cameraman Sami al-Shami (center right) operate a camera as they film a scene in the rebel-held besieged town of Zamalka, in the Damascus suburbs, Syria September 19, 2016. (Photo by Bassam Khabieh/Reuters)





A man looks at the camera during filming a film directed by Humam Husari in the rebel-held besieged town of Zamalka, in the Damascus suburbs, Syria September 19, 2016. (Photo by Bassam Khabieh/Reuters)





A young man films behind-the-scenes of a film directed by Humam Husari in the rebel-held besieged town of Zamalka, in the Damascus suburbs, Syria September 19, 2016. (Photo by Bassam Khabieh/Reuters)





Syrian director Humam Husari (wearing pink) directs actors while cameraman Sami al-Shami operates a camera as they film a scene in the rebel-held besieged town of Zamalka, in the Damascus suburbs, Syria September 19, 2016. (Photo by Bassam Khabieh/Reuters)





Director Humam Husari edits his film after finishing the filming phase at his office in the rebel held Douma neighbourhood of Damascus, Syria October 5, 2016. (Photo by Bassam Khabieh/Reuters)





Crew of a film directed by Humam Husari (raising his hand) gather on a table after the end of filming in the rebel-held besieged town of Zamalka, in the rebel held Douma neighbourhood of Damascus, Syria October 6, 2016. (Photo by Bassam Khabieh/Reuters)





Crew of a film directed by Humam Husari grill meat after the end of filming in the rebel held Douma neighbourhood of Damascus, Syria October 6, 2016. (Photo by Bassam Khabieh/Reuters)





Director Humam Husari edits his film after finishing the filming at his office in the rebel held Douma neighbourhood of Damascus, Syria October 5, 2016. (Photo by Bassam Khabieh/Reuters)





Syrian director Humam Husari (center left) and cameraman Sami al-Shami (center right) operate a camera as they film a scene in the rebel-held besieged town of Zamalka, in the Damascus suburbs, Syria September 19, 2016. (Photo by Bassam Khabieh/Reuters)





Syrian director Humam Husari (R) and cameraman Sami al-Shami (C) operate a camera as they film a scene in the rebel-held besieged town of Zamalka, in the Damascus suburbs, Syria September 19, 2016. (Photo by Bassam Khabieh/Reuters)