For Sama

Dir. Waad Al-Kateab, Edward Watts

For Sama, 2019, United Kingdom, 79 min

Synopsis

A love letter from a young mother to her daughter, the film tells the story of Waad Al-Kateab’s life throughout five years of war in Aleppo, Syria. During these five years she falls in love, marries and gives birth to Sama, while a catastrophic conflict arises around her. His camera captures incredible stories of loss, laughter and survival as Waad decides whether or not to flee the city to protect his daughter’s life, when leaving means abandoning the fight for freedom for which he has already sacrificed so much.

Credits

Direction

Waad al-Kateab, Edward Watts

Production companies

ITN Productions, Channel 4

Music

Nainita Desai

Cinematography

Waad al-Kateab

Press notes

Festivals