Oscar nominee Feras Fayyad (“Last Men in Aleppo”) delivers an unflinching story of women doctors in the Syrian war with his powerful new documentary, The Cave. A free screening will be at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, February 20, at Capen Auditorium in Edwards Hall at Illinois State University, 110 S. University St., Normal.

A discussion of the film will follow the showing. This event is free and open to the public.

​​For besieged civilians, hope and safety lie underground inside the subterranean hospital known as The Cave. Here pediatrician and managing physician Dr. Amani Ballour and her colleagues, Samaher and Dr. Alaa, have claimed their right to work as equals alongside their male counterparts, doing their jobs in a way that would be unthinkable in the oppressively patriarchal culture that exists above. Following the women as they contend with daily bombardments, chronic supply shortages, and the ever-present threat of chemical attacks, The Cave paints a stirring portrait of courage, resilience, and female solidarity.

This film showing is sponsored by Illinois State’s Department of Health Sciences and the HSC 206 Global Health course.

For any additional information, please contact Dr. Alicia Wodika at abwodik@ilstu.edu.