An intimate and epic journey into the female experience of war.
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.
For Sama (2019) is a documentary and war film directed by Edward Watts, released on July 26, 2019 with a runtime of 1h 40m. It stars Sama Al-Khateab, Hamza Al-Khateab and Waad al-Kateab. Viewers rate it 8.2 out of 10 across 319 ratings.
Watch the official trailer for For Sama before you stream it.
Official trailers, teasers, clips and featurettes for For Sama.
Trailer
Trailer
Directed by Edward Watts, produced by Waad al-Kateab.
Average viewer score of 8.2/10 from 319 ratings.
'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...…
Reviewed on January 26, 2020
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…
Reviewed on April 20, 2025
2012
2017
2002
2019
2016
1992
2020
2016
2018
2020
2018
2008
2015
2020
2019
2019
2010
2022
2017
2009
2013
2014
1988
2014
2005
2016
2013
2004
2004
1989
2014
2006
1985
2023
1983
2019
2007
1986
1988
1980
For Sama (2019) is currently available to rent or buy from Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. No subscription streaming option is listed right now, so availability may change.
The main cast of For Sama (2019) includes Sama Al-Khateab, Hamza Al-Khateab and Waad al-Kateab. The film was directed by Edward Watts. You can see the full cast and crew list, with character names, further up this page.
For Sama was released on July 26, 2019 and runs for 1h 40m.
For Sama (2019) holds an average rating of 8.2 out of 10 from 319 viewer votes, and is a good pick if you enjoy documentary and war films. Read the viewer reviews on this page to decide for yourself.
Yes. The official For Sama trailer is embedded in the trailer section of this page and plays instantly, no download or sign-up required.
