For Sama

"An intimate and epic journey into the female experience of war."

2019 1h 40m EN

🙌

8.2

BANGER

★8.2TMDB · 320

DocumentaryWar

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A love letter from a young mother to her daughter, the film tells the story of Waad al-Kateab’s life through five years of the uprising in Aleppo, Syria as she falls in love, gets married and gives birth to Sama, all while cataclysmic conflict rises around her. Her camera captures incredible stories of loss, laughter and survival as Waad wrestles with an impossible choice– whether or not to flee the city to protect her daughter’s life, when leaving means abandoning the struggle for freedom for which she has already sacrificed so much.

“An intimate and epic journey into the female experience of war.”

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Cast

Sama Al-Khateab
Self
Hamza Al-Khateab
Self
Waad al-Kateab
Self

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Edward Watts
Languages: Arabic, English
Countries: Syrian Arab Republic, United Kingdom

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 7 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Arabic, English.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: Syrian Arab Republic, United Kingdom.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Edward Watts, shot by Waad al-Kateab. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Nainita Desai. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Simon McMahon shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Sama Al-Khateab and Hamza Al-Khateab and Waad al-Kateab carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Edward Watts directs. Waad al-Kateab behind the camera. Nainita Desai scores. Simon McMahon cuts. Produced in Syrian Arab Republic, United Kingdom. Dialogue in Arabic, English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 7 years ago.
2Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Arabic, English.
3International production across 2 countries: Syrian Arab Republic, United Kingdom.
4Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
5Directed by Edward Watts, shot by Waad al-Kateab. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Nainita Desai. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Simon McMahon shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Sama Al-Khateab and Hamza Al-Khateab and Waad al-Kateab carry the top of the cast.
9Marketing tagline: "An intimate and epic journey into the female experience of war.".
10IMDB entry: tt9617456 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
11Released under 26 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Waad al-Kateab
Original score: Nainita Desai
Editing: Simon McMahon
Runtime: 100 min · 1h 40m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
IMDB: For Sama (2019)

Awards

Grierson Awards
European Film Award for Best Documentary
British Academy Film Awards
International Emmy Award for best documentary

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

Edward Watts

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

SWITCH.2020-01-26
★ 10/10
'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
CinemaSerf2025-04-20
★ 7/10
There’s 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 from her husband and from an whole array of friends from her war-torn and starving community, we are never far from a choice that she knows will carry risk either way. Though it is very much focussed on the family, it also shines quite a light on the indiscriminate nature of modern urban warfare. Everyone is a target, man or woman, grown up or not - there are few distinctions as the missiles and bullets buzz around a city that is becoming more impoverished by the day and there’s little light at the end of any tunnel. The dialogue is entirely natural and both Waad and Hamza seem to have got so used to the ever-present camera that you never feel they are performing, or seeking any kind of pity - this is real life and they know that to a considerable extent they are on their own: scared, yes but determined nonetheless. It’s about the brutality of war, but also of the hope and optimism of brave people who will sit that out as best they can hopeful that their children, for whom this film has been made, will never suffer in similar circumstances. The best way of achieving that is to make sure the rest of the world sees what is going on. It’s not an easy watch and at times is harrowing (though not graphic) to sit through, but it’s a story well worth the telling and the watching.