THE WHITE HELMETS, a timely Netflix original short, covers the Syrian conflict from a new and ultimately inspiring angle. The Oscar®-nominated team of director Orlando von Einsiedel and producer Joanna Natasegara reveals the resilience—against all odds—of a volunteer force of first responders.

Wearing their signature white helmets, the members of the Syrian Civil Defense Force have a mission: to save everyone they can. Their motto, “To save one life is to save all of humanity,” motivates them as they race to the scene of every bombing to rescue the living and recover the dead. Since the group’s formation in 2012, they have saved more than 58,000 lives in a conflict that has claimed hundreds of thousands, including some 130 of their own.

The gripping 40-minute film shows why these men and women have been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. Dealing with death is part of their daily work. As heartbreaking as this is, the camera also captures the more elusive quality of hope.

A Grain Media and Violet Films production.