For Sama

'For Sama' is a tough watch, made even harder knowing that the neighbouring city of Idlib is currently under siege in the same way. It is also a beautifully edited and narrated piece that needs to reach as many people as possible, since we have no perception of what the Syrian war was like via traditional news media. This is an important, must-watch film.

• Jake Watt

Read Jake's full article... https://www.maketheswitch.com.au/article/review-for-sama-an-emotionally-devastating-must-watch

Theres an anachronistic normality running through this documentary as we follow the young Waad Al-Kateab as she finds happiness, love and bears a child all whilst her surroundings in the besieged Syrian city of Aleppo are quite literally raining hell down upon her. Using her own photography, we are taken into the thick of things and exposed to the conflict this woman faces as she must juggle her own determination to be free of the oppression she has known for all of her adult life with an equally visceral need to get the young Sama to somewhere a little safer. She remains astonishingly upbeat for much of this film, remaining stoic as she tries to reconcile the threads that are straining her and her family, and with some frank contributions ...