The Deminer film review: A fascinating portrait of an extraordinary individual

His fearless, reckless devotion to his job becomes a form of addiction in the documentary The Definer.

Using camcorder footage shot after the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003, the film captures Fakhir at work armed with nothing more than a pair of pliers and a determination to make the world a safer place.

During his first year of service in Mosul he disarms more than 600 mines, striding in where others fear to tread.

He seems indestructible, surviving explosions and heading back to work after the loss of a leg in 2008.

His wife and son look back on the footage with a mixture of pride and alarm.

No wonder he is affectionately nicknamed “Crazy Fakhir”.

A fascinating portrait of an extraordinary individual in which you constantly fear that his next mission will be his last.