For Sama (2019)
Runtime: 100 minutes
Synopsis: FOR SAMA is both an intimate and epic journey into the female experience of war.
Verdict: "For Sama" broke my heart, man. I can't stress how brutal, raw, and tragic that documentary is and I'm going to take this chance to warn you that it contains images you'll probably have a hard time forgetting as the sight of hopeless children losing their loved ones is one I wish I never had to see in my life.
But sadly, this is happening on a daily basis, and being aware of the atrocities the totalitarian Syrian regime is committing feels almost like a duty. "For Sama" lets us experience that from both the comfort and discomfort of our own house, through the eyes of Waad Al-Kateab, one of the bravest women the world has ever seen. As soon as the protests against Bashar Al-Assad's regime broke in 2012, she grabbed a camera and never let go of it, documenting every second of the next 5 years while doing her best to keep her hopes up and help the ones in need as much as she can. Sama is her daughter, born during the conflict, and she dedicates this documentary to her. The documentary is an open letter to her child, as she wants her to grow knowing in which conditions she was born and how she was a beacon of hope in a world that desperately needed it. It's both beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time, and Waad, with the help of British director Edward Watts, makes sure to highlight that by constantly jumping through timelines, which despite not always working for me, did put an emphasis on the different stages the mother and her surroundings went through.
"For Sama" is not only my favorite documentary of the year, but also one my favorite films of 2019. The fact that we're watching real people reacting to real situations with real emotions makes it 100 times more impactful than a fictional dramatization. The documentary will haunt me for a while, and despite it not being an easy watch, I cannot recommend it enough.
But sadly, this is happening on a daily basis, and being aware of the atrocities the totalitarian Syrian regime is committing feels almost like a duty. "For Sama" lets us experience that from both the comfort and discomfort of our own house, through the eyes of Waad Al-Kateab, one of the bravest women the world has ever seen. As soon as the protests against Bashar Al-Assad's regime broke in 2012, she grabbed a camera and never let go of it, documenting every second of the next 5 years while doing her best to keep her hopes up and help the ones in need as much as she can. Sama is her daughter, born during the conflict, and she dedicates this documentary to her. The documentary is an open letter to her child, as she wants her to grow knowing in which conditions she was born and how she was a beacon of hope in a world that desperately needed it. It's both beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time, and Waad, with the help of British director Edward Watts, makes sure to highlight that by constantly jumping through timelines, which despite not always working for me, did put an emphasis on the different stages the mother and her surroundings went through.
"For Sama" is not only my favorite documentary of the year, but also one my favorite films of 2019. The fact that we're watching real people reacting to real situations with real emotions makes it 100 times more impactful than a fictional dramatization. The documentary will haunt me for a while, and despite it not being an easy watch, I cannot recommend it enough.
FINAL GRADE: 8/10
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