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Waad And Hamza al-Kateab, Edward Watts, On Syria And Their New Film, For Sama
For Sama is an extraordinary journey into war through the intimate lens of a woman who, in the course of the grueling shoot, also becomes a mother. From the 2011 uprisings in Aleppo, Syria, to her daily life in an area under relentless siege, director Waad al-Kateab offers an unprecedented look into the lives of civilians held hostage under the oppression of what they refer to as “The Regime” — Syria’s president Bashar al-Assad regime — amid the shadows of global politics.
While the conflict is hidden from international news by the propaganda of the perpetrators, she establishes her headquarters inside the last standing hospital of East Aleppo, and records first-hand the casualties from the relentless artillery attacks, echoing the precarious pursuit of freedom of a community whose only means of resistance is healing and staying alive.
The intensity of the footage is as astonishing as al-Kateab’s audacity. Her incredible timing and persistence is even too unsettling for her own husband, whom she meets on site, Chief of Clinic and doctor Hamza al-Kateab. Scene after scene reveals a tapestry of emotions in a surreal mix of darkness and light, while celebrations bring a much-needed sense of relief — from her wedding to the birth of her first daughter, Sama.
The powerful storyline is the result of the collaboration between al-Kateab and filmmaker Edward Watts, whose celebrated work highlights…
