For Sama

For Sama is a documentary assembled from footage shot by Waad al-Kateab over five years in Aleppo, Syria, beginning with the 2011 uprising. Her camera follows her own life as the city comes under siege: she falls in love with Hamza, a doctor, marries him, and gives birth to their daughter, Sama. Around them, the conflict closes in, and Hamza treats the wounded in a makeshift hospital while Waad keeps filming the daily reality of loss, endurance and moments of ordinary happiness. The film takes the form of a letter addressed to Sama, and its central tension is the choice her parents face between staying in the city and continuing the struggle they have given so much to, or leaving to keep their daughter safe.

Waad al-Kateab directed the film with Edward Watts, and she also produced it. It was her first feature as director, followed by Death Without Mercy in 2024 and Maybe Tomorrow in 2026. The film runs 100 minutes and was made in the United Kingdom and Syria, with Channel 4 Television and ITN Productions among its production companies. Sama, Hamza and Waad al-Kateab all appear as themselves. On TMDB it holds a rating of 8.2 out of 10 from 319 votes, a high average on a modest number of votes, suggesting strong approval from those who have seen it.