Syrian Oscar nominee can’t get to ceremony because of passport problem

The news comes a month after Donald Trump’s travel ban – which prevented nationals from seven predominantly-Muslim countries, including Syria, from entering the country – was blocked by a United States court.

The win comes amid reports that the cinematographer of the film, Khaled Khateeb, was denied entry into the U.S. by immigration authorities.

Producer Joanna Natasegara and director Orlando von Einsiedel were behind the film White Helmets, which won the best documentary short.

Derogatory information is a categorization that includes a range of issues from terror connections to simple passport irregularities.

While White Helmet rescue teams endeavoured to rescue civilians in Idlib, elsewhere in Syria on Sunday violence continued unabated in a conflict entering its sixth year, in which hundreds of thousands have lost their lives.

“So we’re pleased at least they get the recognition they deserve”, she said.

Khateeb’s statement also acknowledges the important role played by the White Helmets - the organization and the documentary - in informing the world about the atrocities that have happened in cities like Aleppo.

Members of the Civil Defense, often called “White Helmets”, carry an injured man after an air strike in the rebel-held Douma neighborhood of Damascus. “It’s very easy for these guys to feel they’re forgotten”, he said. The pair accepted the Oscar for the film at the Academy Awards.

Meanwhile, Khatib (listed as a cinematographer on the film) could not attend because Syria’s government had cancelled his passport.

The White Helmets is short film about Syria Civil Defence, a volunteer-run organisation of emergency rescuers.

“If we win this award, it will show people across Syria that people around the world support them”, Khatib told CNN before the awards.

Khaled Khatib, a cinematographer and press officer for the Syrian White Helmets, thanked supporters on Twitter.

Khatib is not the only person whose Oscars travel plans were affected by Trump’s executive order.

Asghar Farhadi, an Iranian director who’s film “The Salesman” won for Best Foreign Language Film, chose to boycott the Academy Awards in protest over Trump’s policies. “I look forward to meeting them all one day”.