Joanne Carter

The mobile phone continues to be adopted by mobile photographers as well as mobile cinematographers in the movie industry, particularly in the area of documentary. Noted for their high quality but also their small discreet platform, several of this year’s 2020 Academy Award Nominees, announced yesterday, 13 January 2020, used them to create films within the Best Documentary category.

This included the film, ‘For Sama‘ a film bursting with emotion, filmed in Syria over a period of five years, it specifically focusses on 2016, with the Assad regime fully supported by the Russian air force seemingly mindlessly bombing and crushing Aleppo, including hospitals and homes.

‘For Sama‘, is a film about the 26 year old Syrian filmmaker’s life within rebel controlled Syria. Waad al-Kateab started filming with her mobile phone for the first few years. The device allowing her to film covertly, which was essential during the ISIS controlled four months of 2013. Later, she moved to DSLR’s but never used any extraneous equipment for fear it would be destroyed.

Dedicated to her daughter, Sama, who was born during the period of filmmaking, this is a film that will tear at your heart and leave you marvelling at the quality.

You can view a clip of the movie below.