A Syrian cameraman and rescue worker whose documentary about the civil defence group known as the White Helmets has been nominated for an Oscar will not attend the awards ceremony because Damascus has cancelled his passport, the group said on Sunday.
If the 40-minute Netflix documentary The White Helmets wins the Oscar, the award would go to the director, Orlando von Einsiedel, and the producer, Joanna Natasegara.
Their film, nominated in the Oscars short subject documentary category, gives a glimpse into the daily lives of the volunteers.
“The Syrian Civil Defence are grateful for the platform the film The White Helmets is providing for their humanitarian message to reach around the world,” the statement said.