This Oscar nominee for Best Documentary Feature lacerates hearts with images of children, dead and suffering, blanketed in ash and blood as female director Waad Al-Kateab endeavors to capture on video for her infant daughter the bravery of Aleppo civilians against the Assad regime's cannonade during the Syrian civil war in 2016.

An incredible documentary. Growing up in the United States, real war has been a borderline alien experience for decades. People see it in film, romantacize it, view it through the lens of a political administration, but there hasn't been a real threat of domestic combat for generations; as a concept, it largely belongs to long-passed generations. Likewise, foreign wars are presented largely as statistics or in broad, remote geopolitical terms, as if those involved were somehow not human, that there suffering somehow is not significant. For Sama forces viewers to confront the reality that terrible conflict is an everyday reality for some, and it does so by demonstrating a universal, heartbreaking humanity within the victims of the conflict. When that child is born in a war-ravaged Aleppo hospital with blue skin and no hint of life, only to be woken by the dedicated efforts of the doctors after harrowing minutes, it is a devastating moment, particularly within the context that it creates. The film is so profound, if I was unaware of the circumstances behind its production I would have immediately assumed that it was a docudrama. I can't recall an objectively better found-footage style documentary; others, like Grey Gardens and Hoop Dreams are shot with an intimate style and follow an evolving storyline, but they are still at their core professional productions made by commercial film crews that set out to document a very particular event that they had previously scouted, vetted, and decided upon. For Sama doesn't feel like that, it has senses of pure violence, danger, and loss that can only originate from a devastating event. A true must-watch. (5/5)

An impressive documentary about an impressive young couple. Amazing how numbed everyone becomes by the constant death and destruction. The absolute state of Aleppo by the time they're leaving is incredible. If ever there was an anti-war film this inadvertently is it. Being on the ground through the siege showcases the truth of war. There's no glamour, it's just pure misery and suffering.

One of the most important movies made in decades. It is horrible how the debate around refugees tend to de-humanize people who have fled from their homes. In essence, this movie genuinely and affectionately shows their struggle. Everyone should see this.

Waad Al-Kateab is a reporter living in Aleppo. Her husband is a doctor and she is having a baby. She lives in the hospital he built up, treating hundreds of innocent wonded by war acts. They stay for months after the baby is born, even if the situation has gotten worse over the last few years. At a point 7 out of 8 hospitals in the area are bombed to bits and now they go all in on the place they live and treat thousand of people. This is such a devastating piece. Dead bodies, crying family, bombs and blood. This is the naked truth. I'm so impressed with these people and get so angry with the surroundings and people causing them. This is just as painful as it is important. It has gotten loads of awards but naturally the Academy cowardly did not handled them anything accept from the nomination. If you want the harsh reality and can deal with the uglyness you must see this film. If you can't - you still should. 8.5 out of 10 dedicated mothers.

Even though its very nicely made, its misleading and deceptive propaganda, makes it worthless as a documentary. The brutality of various extremist rebel groups should have been a part of the story, and you get the feeling Hamza might be sympathetic towards the extremists, who were probably even more brutal, intolerant and barbaric than the Assadregime.

What a horrible thing wars are. Why would someone have kids in such times?

One would expect an Academy Awards-nominated documentary to unveil the facts of the underlying story in all their complexity, which would set it aside from the shallow propaganda pouring from all sides. But this film, regretfully, is just another example of how disinformation and obfuscation of facts continues to be used to bend public attitudes (western public, mostly) toward the war conflict in a very particular way, emphasizing one part of the story and conveniently hiding all others, keeping things simple and black and white for the viewer. The rebels are portrayed as innocent civilians playing chess, cooking dinner, getting married, having to hide during brutal Russian airstrikes, which aim at hospitals to break their will and take away their freedom. Of course there is some truth in this narrative, but there is also so much more to the story, and without that, this half-truth simply becomes a lie. It isn't the peaceful freedom-seeking rebels who hold the city against the government army for so long; and it isn't the hospitals that the Russian (and American, conveniently not mentioned in the film) airstrikes were targeting during that war. In reality that was a highly complex multi-sided war, which went way beyond an internal civil conflict, much of it being the war against ISIL, and the events of the film are in the middle of that war. By sympathizing with ISIL extremists, the film chooses to turn a blind eye to the endless crimes against humanity which these extremists committed, and simply paint the the government and the Russians as the villains of the story. The real drama of this "documentary" is that disinformation, propaganda, double standards - which this film is full of - were among the very things that the 2011 revolution was originally fighting AGAINST...

A haunting, disturbing, powerful and heartbreaking documentary drama about the Civil War in Siria, that expertly portrays the struggles of the civilians to deal with a war-torn environment.

Un retrato de la realidad, nos muestra la crudeza de los conflictos humanos de una forma cautivadora.

I really hate what's going on in Siria and with this documentary you can understand more about this war.

This is a stunning, shocking, confronting, inspiring documentary. I have never seen anything like it before — and doubt I will again. The story this documentary tells, and the way it is told, is totally absorbing. What a testament to the way ordinary people are able to survive and support each other in the most adverse circumstances. It's brutally honest and very intimate, even though it is capturing big picture happenings at times. It's impossible to not feel as though you are right there with the people. The documentary was provoked by Waad becoming pregnant with her daughter, Sama, and the movie becomes a diary — and an explanation for why a mother would bring a child into this world of suffering and conflict. Ultimately, it is a story of hope, symbolised by Sama. This is an incredible story made by an incredible film maker. Highly recommended!

A difficult watch. Horrible to see what happened there, but important too

The Documentary is magnificent, especially the miracle scene, I was very moved

Truly powerful memoir of love and sacrifice.

1001 movies to see before you die (2020). Although I don't agree with many of their conclusions, it still is a powerful story to tell that raises awareness of the tragedy in Aleppo. I will never forget the baby scene.

50% boring 75% wrong information 100% propaganda

Intimate account of the siege of Aleppo with a powerful emotional punch.

Gripping on-the-ground look at the Syrian war from a new mother. Packs an emotional wallop.

Triste mas necessário...pesado, forte , brutal e verdadeiro.