For Sama (2019)

A powerful companion piece to 20 Days in Mariupol, both harrowing first-person accounts of war, both featuring Russian-driven brutality, and both centered on the courage of frontline journalists. But For Sama is more personal, more intimate.

Waad Al-Kateab captures her life in Aleppo with remarkable bravery. The footage she assembled is raw, emotional, and difficult to watch, with some moments so personal and painful they almost feel too private for the screen. Waad’s presence and vulnerability bring a distinct gravity to the documentary. The aerial drone shots of Aleppo offer a haunting contrast to the close-quarters chaos. While most of the footage is clearly hers, I assume the drone work was sourced from others.

Does Waad’s youth and beauty amplify the emotional power of the film? Would it have landed differently if this story had been told by a woman older and less attractive or a man? I wonder.

I don’t fully understand why, after escaping to Turkey, Waad and her family returned to war-torn Aleppo. Seemed an incredibly risky choice, and the film doesn’t fully explain the thought process.

A brief explainer at the beginning would have helped viewers unfamiliar with the Syrian civil war. Perhaps something like this:

What began as peaceful protests against the Assad regime has erupted into a brutal civil war.

The city of Aleppo is now divided. Opposition forces control the east, government forces hold the west.

As airstrikes and shelling intensify, civilians are trapped in a war zone. Hospitals are targeted. Supplies are cut off. Families are forced to choose between fleeing their homes or staying to resist.

Likewise, the closing update about her personal life is welcome, but I wish the film had offered a broader update on the state of affairs in Syria at the time of the film’s release to add weight and clarity to the closing. Something like this:

The Battle of Aleppo (2012–2016) was one of the bloodiest urban conflicts of the Syrian Civil War, leaving over 31,000 dead and destroying much of the historic city.

By late 2016, Syrian government forces, with support from Russia, Iran, and allied militias, had regained control of the city.

The conflict continues. Hundreds of thousands are dead. Millions remain displaced.