For Sama

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 FOR SAMA [2019]


Featuring: Waad & Hamza Al-Kateab


Directed & Produced by Waad Al-Kateab


Language: Arabic 


Is anybody looking for a riveting and incredibly moving documentary? If so, look no further! This was a product of mindless scrolling on Netflix in the wee hours of the morning: I put on a random documentary without even reading the description. I never thought that this documentary would have such a significant influence on me. 


I have always been interested in Middle-Eastern affairs, such as the Arab Spring in 2011 and the conflict taking place within Syria. There is very little coverage of Arab affairs in the country where I live, and so seeing this documentary was incredibly insightful. 


The world sees Syria as a conflict of numbers: we hear how many people are migrating, and we hear how much of the country’s infrastructure has been destroyed. However, we seldom get to see the human experience behind the conflict in Syria. What made this documentary especially interesting was that many documentaries that I have seen surrounding the Syrian conflict were focused on the experiences of migration from the country, and this one was about the experiences of people within Syria. 


This documentary was about the experiences of one family living in Syria for several years during the conflict. Seeing how people lived within Syria, makes the documentary such a unique insight into the conflict. This was compounded by the fact that Aleppo is known to be the focal point of the Syrian conflict: seeing how life was like there in particular was especially poignant. This was intensified by the fact that the documentary was almost entirely made up of real-life footage. It was harrowing to see a film that was not so touched up and edited. Early parenthood is difficult enough in itself, and seeing the Al-Kateabs handle this amongst the constant fear of living in Aleppo will strike a chord deep within whoever watches the documentary. 


Seeing this production was so bittersweet to see. The documentary was filmed by the couple for their daughter. The fact that the Al-Kateabs’ daughter, Sama, was the main theme in this production was touching. Having her being the overarching focus of the piece meant that there was always a sense of hope, regardless of the difficulties the family otherwise had to face. This meant that the documentary was more digestible: there was always a small glimmer of hope that prevailed throughout the death and despair that plagued Aleppo whilst the Al-Kateabs were living there. 


What really got to me, however, was the ending, where the family is forced to migrate from Aleppo. It was strange for me to see somebody so attached to the city, considering all of the damage and destruction it went under. These final minutes of the production were so poignant: there was a clear conflict between the prospect of a new future as a family of three in the western world, and the past, where the couple grew up and fell in love. Although their situation was an extreme case, this moving portrayal of migration and leaving one’s home country holds a mirror up to every experience regarding migration. 


I cannot stress enough how much you have to see this documentary. 10/10.


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