1 00:00:01,760 --> 00:00:07,720 Speaker 1: Hello, I'm Alec Baldwin and you're listening to Here's the Thing. 2 00:00:11,360 --> 00:00:15,920 Speaker 1: My guests today are the filmmakers and subjects of the 3 00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:25,159 Speaker 1: Oscar nominated documentary For Sama. The film powerfully shows the 4 00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:31,000 Speaker 1: bravery and idealism of Syrians who are fighting for political freedom, 5 00:00:31,040 --> 00:00:37,879 Speaker 1: and it shows the depravity of the Assad regime. But 6 00:00:38,040 --> 00:00:41,120 Speaker 1: much more than that, For Sama is a sad but 7 00:00:41,280 --> 00:00:45,040 Speaker 1: hopeful story about starting a family as everything else you 8 00:00:45,120 --> 00:00:50,920 Speaker 1: know and love is ripped away. In two thousand eleven, 9 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:55,000 Speaker 1: as the Syrian Uprising got underway, For Sama, co director 10 00:00:55,400 --> 00:00:59,320 Speaker 1: Wad al Khatib was in college in Aleppo. She was 11 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:03,080 Speaker 1: from a middle class family and her fiance's parents were 12 00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:06,840 Speaker 1: living abroad. They could have gotten out, but chose not to, 13 00:01:07,560 --> 00:01:10,600 Speaker 1: and then they were trapped, and then ward was pregnant. 14 00:01:11,640 --> 00:01:16,760 Speaker 1: She started filming everything, the protests, the shelling of her husband, 15 00:01:16,760 --> 00:01:21,880 Speaker 1: holmsa's hospital, even tea with friends, under the constant threat 16 00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:29,800 Speaker 1: of death, and as she films, her pregnancy becomes more 17 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:34,319 Speaker 1: and more apparent. Wad eventually gives birth and starts to 18 00:01:34,440 --> 00:01:39,520 Speaker 1: raise her daughter, Sama in a city under siege. After 19 00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:43,240 Speaker 1: the family is finally forced to flee, she meets filmmaker 20 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:48,680 Speaker 1: Edward Watts in London. Together they edit the film Watts. 21 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:53,480 Speaker 1: Wad and her husband Dr hamsa Al Kateb joined me 22 00:01:53,880 --> 00:01:57,920 Speaker 1: at a live event at last year's Hampton's International Film Festival. 23 00:01:58,480 --> 00:02:01,640 Speaker 1: I wanted to understand what would make educated people with 24 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:05,760 Speaker 1: access to comfortable lives be willing to risk everything to 25 00:02:05,920 --> 00:02:10,120 Speaker 1: change their government. I will speak personally. We never felt 26 00:02:10,120 --> 00:02:14,040 Speaker 1: proud that we are Syrian. Everything in Syria since I 27 00:02:14,080 --> 00:02:16,600 Speaker 1: grow up, it's all related to Assad family. The main 28 00:02:16,639 --> 00:02:18,720 Speaker 1: thing that they always in the media trying to show 29 00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:24,640 Speaker 1: the Syrian regime propaganda that said he's the doctor was 30 00:02:24,680 --> 00:02:30,040 Speaker 1: in Britain and he's like uh there and they were 31 00:02:30,120 --> 00:02:33,959 Speaker 1: like this democratic family and all of that, while the 32 00:02:34,080 --> 00:02:36,639 Speaker 1: reality is all of our life. When we were in school, 33 00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:39,200 Speaker 1: half of the said his father, we were calling him 34 00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:44,000 Speaker 1: the only words that the immortal leader. That's it. And 35 00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:47,959 Speaker 1: now like all in like before the revolution, before two eleven, 36 00:02:48,520 --> 00:02:51,960 Speaker 1: the country in all the media and the newspaper and everything, 37 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:56,320 Speaker 1: it's called Assad Syria. It was nothing like surprising for 38 00:02:56,400 --> 00:02:58,960 Speaker 1: us that the country was run by a dictatorship. Had 39 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:02,600 Speaker 1: they known democrats you prior to the a Sad family 40 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 1: before a lot of political parties, election for the parliament 41 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:11,840 Speaker 1: member and all of that. But after Las said, it's 42 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:15,160 Speaker 1: all become based on one party, which is a Bath party, 43 00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:19,079 Speaker 1: the same party that was also in Iraq in Bath Party. 44 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:24,600 Speaker 1: And then after that just nobody became interest in politics 45 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:27,040 Speaker 1: because you know that it's just run by this family. 46 00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:31,200 Speaker 1: It's rune by this party. And the only thing, the 47 00:03:31,280 --> 00:03:34,000 Speaker 1: only thing that I still remember my my parents who 48 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:37,080 Speaker 1: are telling me, like, mind your own business, graduate from 49 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:41,680 Speaker 1: university and just please leave the country to like practice 50 00:03:41,720 --> 00:03:44,640 Speaker 1: medicine in Germany or in the UK, and just stay 51 00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:48,480 Speaker 1: there and don't talk anything about politics, like not even 52 00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:51,240 Speaker 1: in in in the university, like don't dream to become 53 00:03:51,360 --> 00:03:54,320 Speaker 1: like one of the like school membership. And is that 54 00:03:54,400 --> 00:03:57,760 Speaker 1: the predominant mindset is when you can you get out 55 00:03:57,760 --> 00:04:00,440 Speaker 1: of here. You don't stay Yeah, because you have built 56 00:04:00,480 --> 00:04:02,560 Speaker 1: your dreams in such a country. You know each other 57 00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:05,400 Speaker 1: part of the corrupted system to be like to get 58 00:04:05,400 --> 00:04:08,760 Speaker 1: employed or you just My my parents lived in Saudi 59 00:04:08,840 --> 00:04:13,000 Speaker 1: Arabia for twenty eight years after immediately they graduated. They 60 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:16,800 Speaker 1: were both mathematic teachers, so they both graduated university and 61 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:20,600 Speaker 1: then traveled to Saudi Arabia teaching there for twenty eight 62 00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:23,440 Speaker 1: years to afford to buy a house, and their only 63 00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:25,960 Speaker 1: advice like, please, son, just we did all of that 64 00:04:26,480 --> 00:04:29,560 Speaker 1: for you to get to university, finish your school and 65 00:04:29,800 --> 00:04:32,120 Speaker 1: come to Saudi Arabia. Just they want you to come, 66 00:04:32,240 --> 00:04:39,599 Speaker 1: but you didn't. Yeah, why Basically after the revolution, which 67 00:04:39,640 --> 00:04:43,040 Speaker 1: personally I didn't expect at all that it will start 68 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:46,320 Speaker 1: in Syria, Like I didn't think that we will dare 69 00:04:46,440 --> 00:04:51,240 Speaker 1: to stand against the Lessa, and when it started, we 70 00:04:50,960 --> 00:04:54,000 Speaker 1: we we felt like we this is our country, belongs 71 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:57,080 Speaker 1: here and we have now a say in the future 72 00:04:57,120 --> 00:05:00,760 Speaker 1: of this country, so everyone should participant. And then day 73 00:05:00,760 --> 00:05:05,000 Speaker 1: by day, demonstration after demonstration, we personally and I think 74 00:05:05,279 --> 00:05:08,400 Speaker 1: a lot of other Syrians felt like, as I said, 75 00:05:08,440 --> 00:05:10,440 Speaker 1: we had a say here in this country and it's 76 00:05:10,520 --> 00:05:14,600 Speaker 1: now our responsibility to stay here till till the end. Yeah. 77 00:05:15,040 --> 00:05:17,520 Speaker 1: In two thousand and eleven, I felt like, I'm Syrian, 78 00:05:17,720 --> 00:05:20,120 Speaker 1: and I'm proud of being Syrian, and I really want 79 00:05:20,160 --> 00:05:22,920 Speaker 1: to stay and do what I want to do. And 80 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:25,120 Speaker 1: before even we knew each other, both of us has 81 00:05:25,440 --> 00:05:29,440 Speaker 1: a different plan to go out, and like as really 82 00:05:29,440 --> 00:05:32,480 Speaker 1: many other people, we like canceled that and just stayed 83 00:05:32,520 --> 00:05:36,440 Speaker 1: to do what we believe in How did you connect? 84 00:05:37,120 --> 00:05:39,440 Speaker 1: I was very passionate about what's been happening in Syria 85 00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:42,240 Speaker 1: since the beginning, because I felt that we've never seen 86 00:05:42,279 --> 00:05:45,520 Speaker 1: anything like it, to see people peacefully protesting in the 87 00:05:45,560 --> 00:05:47,880 Speaker 1: way that they were and being met with a level 88 00:05:47,920 --> 00:05:51,159 Speaker 1: of violence that was just unprecedented. I felt since the 89 00:05:51,160 --> 00:05:53,200 Speaker 1: Second World War. You know, we have this event in 90 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:55,799 Speaker 1: England called Bloody Sunday, which is like a huge stain 91 00:05:55,880 --> 00:05:59,200 Speaker 1: when soldiers shot ten protesters, and these guys were facing 92 00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:02,440 Speaker 1: ten bloody son days every week, and they were still 93 00:06:02,640 --> 00:06:05,880 Speaker 1: coming back and peacefully protesting and not resorting to violence. 94 00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:08,479 Speaker 1: And so for years I've been saying, can we please 95 00:06:08,560 --> 00:06:10,920 Speaker 1: make a film not about ISIS and not about all 96 00:06:10,960 --> 00:06:14,400 Speaker 1: those distractions, but about people like these two amazing guys, 97 00:06:14,720 --> 00:06:17,880 Speaker 1: middle class people just like us, with our education, who 98 00:06:17,880 --> 00:06:20,440 Speaker 1: are asking for the things that we'll take for granted. 99 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:23,440 Speaker 1: And so for years I've been saying that. But it 100 00:06:23,480 --> 00:06:26,880 Speaker 1: was only after Wad left that people realized. She came 101 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:29,880 Speaker 1: out after the tragic events you saw, came to London 102 00:06:30,080 --> 00:06:33,400 Speaker 1: with these war battered hard drives that literally bore the 103 00:06:33,440 --> 00:06:36,599 Speaker 1: stains and wounds of war, and said, look what should 104 00:06:36,600 --> 00:06:40,200 Speaker 1: we do with this this huge pile of material. I 105 00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:43,839 Speaker 1: came in to help her craft craft the films. What 106 00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:45,840 Speaker 1: kind of work were you doing before the What kind 107 00:06:45,839 --> 00:06:47,680 Speaker 1: of films were you making? I was making lots of 108 00:06:47,680 --> 00:06:50,080 Speaker 1: films about trouble places around the world. I did. I 109 00:06:50,120 --> 00:06:52,600 Speaker 1: did do one about Isis, which was about the Zidi 110 00:06:52,680 --> 00:06:55,640 Speaker 1: women who had been kidnapped and an amazing, brave group 111 00:06:55,680 --> 00:06:58,040 Speaker 1: of people who were trying to help them escape from 112 00:06:58,040 --> 00:07:01,720 Speaker 1: ices captivity. I've been to Congo, I've been to Afghanistan, Yemen, 113 00:07:01,839 --> 00:07:07,000 Speaker 1: had been to a lot of difficult places. You basically 114 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:09,520 Speaker 1: trying to get people to see that people in these 115 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:13,360 Speaker 1: places are not some alien species, they're not barbarians. They 116 00:07:13,400 --> 00:07:15,960 Speaker 1: are just like us, and we have something at stake 117 00:07:16,440 --> 00:07:18,880 Speaker 1: in their fate around the world. We need to change 118 00:07:18,920 --> 00:07:20,640 Speaker 1: the way that we look at the world so it's 119 00:07:20,640 --> 00:07:23,120 Speaker 1: not like us over here we're okay and they're in trouble, 120 00:07:23,160 --> 00:07:24,840 Speaker 1: and you know it's a shame, but what the hell. 121 00:07:25,120 --> 00:07:28,040 Speaker 1: We're all connected. And I think Syria more than any 122 00:07:28,040 --> 00:07:35,920 Speaker 1: other conflict proves that. Now you meet with Edward after 123 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:40,200 Speaker 1: the fact, and so you're shooting, you're there, are you 124 00:07:40,240 --> 00:07:43,360 Speaker 1: the camera operator? And I was the boss to myself. 125 00:07:43,480 --> 00:07:47,080 Speaker 1: You were you directed yourself. You're like the orson wells 126 00:07:47,120 --> 00:07:52,000 Speaker 1: of Syria. Uh. But but the your inne level and 127 00:07:52,480 --> 00:07:54,720 Speaker 1: the sense you get, of course, is that at any 128 00:07:54,800 --> 00:07:58,640 Speaker 1: given moment you could be dead, you personally and your 129 00:07:58,720 --> 00:08:01,880 Speaker 1: children and your husband. A given moment, the bombs are 130 00:08:01,880 --> 00:08:04,480 Speaker 1: gonna drop and you're gonna get hit, as as in 131 00:08:04,520 --> 00:08:07,440 Speaker 1: other areas. Yeah, And this is one of the things 132 00:08:07,440 --> 00:08:10,600 Speaker 1: why I kept filming and why I filmed everything, why 133 00:08:10,760 --> 00:08:14,040 Speaker 1: I was like very obsessed about like filming even if 134 00:08:14,080 --> 00:08:17,520 Speaker 1: we were asleep, because I felt that any moment could 135 00:08:17,520 --> 00:08:19,800 Speaker 1: be the last minute. And I'm here, I have that 136 00:08:19,960 --> 00:08:23,080 Speaker 1: chance now to film this and I will be killed. 137 00:08:23,120 --> 00:08:25,040 Speaker 1: I will not do a film. And I wasn't really 138 00:08:25,080 --> 00:08:28,120 Speaker 1: planning of what I will do in the all this material. 139 00:08:28,640 --> 00:08:30,800 Speaker 1: I was like, yeah, I'm here now, I know that 140 00:08:30,840 --> 00:08:33,120 Speaker 1: this is so important. I know if I've been killed, 141 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:37,439 Speaker 1: like this material will be something someone outside will use 142 00:08:37,480 --> 00:08:40,200 Speaker 1: it one day. But what I need to do now 143 00:08:40,320 --> 00:08:42,880 Speaker 1: that just make sure that this person who will take 144 00:08:42,880 --> 00:08:46,840 Speaker 1: this this material will have a lot of like blenty 145 00:08:46,920 --> 00:08:49,720 Speaker 1: choices to choose what story he was now Prior to 146 00:08:49,720 --> 00:08:51,760 Speaker 1: two thousand and eleven, I'm assuming the population of a 147 00:08:51,840 --> 00:08:55,080 Speaker 1: lepod was one thing, and then I diminished considerable. And 148 00:08:55,120 --> 00:08:57,000 Speaker 1: when you were in a lepo, did you happen to 149 00:08:57,080 --> 00:08:59,480 Speaker 1: live in an area that was less likely to get 150 00:08:59,520 --> 00:09:02,880 Speaker 1: bombed like there was other thing whether things they were 151 00:09:02,880 --> 00:09:07,000 Speaker 1: trying to bomb, like power stations and media stations, Were 152 00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:09,480 Speaker 1: they're trying to bomb certain targets and you were not 153 00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:12,720 Speaker 1: in that area or were you just as vulnerable as everybody. 154 00:09:12,960 --> 00:09:16,400 Speaker 1: We both from west part of Alippo, where it was 155 00:09:16,559 --> 00:09:19,120 Speaker 1: under the regime control all the time. So in two 156 00:09:19,160 --> 00:09:23,640 Speaker 1: thousand twelve, when uh it's part of a Lippo's announced 157 00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:28,199 Speaker 1: that non control area which was under the Free Syrian Army, 158 00:09:28,480 --> 00:09:31,760 Speaker 1: the people who carry wobon. So we moved to that 159 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:35,160 Speaker 1: area because that was like a blaze out of the 160 00:09:35,280 --> 00:09:39,000 Speaker 1: gym control. It was safe that the regime can't arrest you, 161 00:09:39,679 --> 00:09:42,920 Speaker 1: but it's not safe because the regime started bombing. So 162 00:09:43,040 --> 00:09:45,800 Speaker 1: we were living in that place. We knew that this 163 00:09:45,880 --> 00:09:50,000 Speaker 1: is now a free play area. There's many people who 164 00:09:50,160 --> 00:09:52,679 Speaker 1: came to this place to live because they don't want 165 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:55,800 Speaker 1: to live under the region control anymore. And it was 166 00:09:55,880 --> 00:10:00,520 Speaker 1: just a very strange life. Everything from zero there's no 167 00:10:00,600 --> 00:10:03,679 Speaker 1: basic services. There's nothing, and that's why from the set 168 00:10:03,760 --> 00:10:07,320 Speaker 1: up the hospital, so that place was just like a 169 00:10:07,400 --> 00:10:11,720 Speaker 1: new city where there's really no one and people start 170 00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:15,480 Speaker 1: like to come and start their new life in that place. Basically, 171 00:10:15,559 --> 00:10:20,440 Speaker 1: I like I wish that we were vulnerable as the 172 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:24,959 Speaker 1: other people because the region was just bunishing everyone who's 173 00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:27,920 Speaker 1: living there. That the main purpose was to make life 174 00:10:28,840 --> 00:10:32,040 Speaker 1: as like impossible for for the people, and like this 175 00:10:32,120 --> 00:10:35,320 Speaker 1: is what happened when you're living not under my control. 176 00:10:35,679 --> 00:10:38,080 Speaker 1: But basically they we always know and everyone, all the 177 00:10:38,120 --> 00:10:42,200 Speaker 1: civilians knew that the hospitals are the main targets of 178 00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:46,480 Speaker 1: the regime, the backery, to the schools, every every place 179 00:10:46,480 --> 00:10:50,120 Speaker 1: where people can be like living normally or they want 180 00:10:50,240 --> 00:10:53,520 Speaker 1: like some services, they were being like attacked more than 181 00:10:53,559 --> 00:10:56,560 Speaker 1: any other place. So like I had some patience and 182 00:10:56,600 --> 00:10:59,080 Speaker 1: I sometimes need to admit like a patient for for 183 00:10:59,200 --> 00:11:01,960 Speaker 1: five days the hospital. He was telling me, like, can 184 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:03,520 Speaker 1: you give me just the I V drugs and I 185 00:11:03,559 --> 00:11:05,360 Speaker 1: will get him home, Like you know, a doctor, it's 186 00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:08,079 Speaker 1: just difficult to look to stay five days in a 187 00:11:08,440 --> 00:11:11,600 Speaker 1: hospital just dangerous. Sometimes like a mother will leave her 188 00:11:11,679 --> 00:11:14,760 Speaker 1: children there and she said, like I trust you that 189 00:11:14,800 --> 00:11:16,120 Speaker 1: you will take care of him, but I will not 190 00:11:16,200 --> 00:11:19,560 Speaker 1: stay here for like six days until the child will 191 00:11:19,840 --> 00:11:22,920 Speaker 1: like a discharge from from the hospital. When we moved 192 00:11:22,960 --> 00:11:29,560 Speaker 1: the hospital, there was like a small military base for 193 00:11:29,559 --> 00:11:34,880 Speaker 1: for the s A fighters, and we literally displaced them. 194 00:11:34,960 --> 00:11:38,200 Speaker 1: They just run away. They moved because the hospital was there, 195 00:11:38,200 --> 00:11:40,040 Speaker 1: and she was like, oh, it's too dangerous to leave 196 00:11:40,480 --> 00:11:45,040 Speaker 1: our weapons next to you. We just move. Just to 197 00:11:45,120 --> 00:11:48,640 Speaker 1: go back a little bit to describe your own backgrounds, 198 00:11:48,800 --> 00:11:53,040 Speaker 1: you studied medicine where I studied medicine in faculty of 199 00:11:53,080 --> 00:11:59,599 Speaker 1: Medicine in a university starting two thousand and five, graduated 200 00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:02,720 Speaker 1: for Bright two thousand and twelve my last year, and 201 00:12:02,880 --> 00:12:08,320 Speaker 1: usually practicing in the university hospital. So I was participated 202 00:12:08,360 --> 00:12:11,920 Speaker 1: in in the demonstrations at the university, the one that 203 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:14,719 Speaker 1: you've seen in the beginning of the film. I graduated 204 00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:18,960 Speaker 1: the brewery decided basically my main dream just to travel 205 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:23,600 Speaker 1: to Germany and the train as a neurosurgeon. So but 206 00:12:23,720 --> 00:12:26,320 Speaker 1: I decided like, okay, I'll stay in the country until 207 00:12:26,400 --> 00:12:29,839 Speaker 1: less it is down for a few maybe months, and 208 00:12:29,880 --> 00:12:33,440 Speaker 1: then go to Germany. But here we are, now, what 209 00:12:33,640 --> 00:12:36,080 Speaker 1: is your background in filmmaking? How did that begin? For 210 00:12:36,120 --> 00:12:39,959 Speaker 1: you where and when I was from myself host like 211 00:12:40,040 --> 00:12:45,319 Speaker 1: every other people around the world, you filmed yourself at home. Okay, 212 00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:48,480 Speaker 1: you didn't got a film school and study film, No 213 00:12:48,520 --> 00:12:52,680 Speaker 1: you didn't. I was. I did economics and then I 214 00:12:52,720 --> 00:12:55,880 Speaker 1: was in the university when the revolution started. So I 215 00:12:55,920 --> 00:12:59,960 Speaker 1: was the first demonstration, the second, third one. We've started, 216 00:13:00,480 --> 00:13:04,439 Speaker 1: like many people in the protest, filming what was happening 217 00:13:05,040 --> 00:13:08,200 Speaker 1: because we felt that this is something very important. And 218 00:13:08,760 --> 00:13:10,200 Speaker 1: when did that start for you? When did you feel 219 00:13:10,200 --> 00:13:13,520 Speaker 1: the urges are documenting what was happening around you? Like 220 00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:19,520 Speaker 1: I think the third protest I joined, start like filming 221 00:13:19,520 --> 00:13:25,079 Speaker 1: with my phone, and then after maybe like other for protests, 222 00:13:25,360 --> 00:13:29,200 Speaker 1: I started like filming before the protest and with some people, 223 00:13:29,400 --> 00:13:32,480 Speaker 1: asking them about what they feel. And at that time 224 00:13:32,520 --> 00:13:35,400 Speaker 1: you can't show any phase of these people. So like 225 00:13:35,600 --> 00:13:38,880 Speaker 1: most of these interviews was like like from here to down, 226 00:13:39,800 --> 00:13:42,200 Speaker 1: which is like it's not working for anything. Did you 227 00:13:42,200 --> 00:13:45,000 Speaker 1: get your first camera? The first camera I had? It 228 00:13:45,160 --> 00:13:48,920 Speaker 1: was the first scene when you've seen did the camera 229 00:13:48,960 --> 00:13:51,720 Speaker 1: come from? So I'm sure that there were a lot 230 00:13:51,760 --> 00:13:54,559 Speaker 1: of camera stores opening a lapo. No, there was like 231 00:13:54,600 --> 00:13:57,040 Speaker 1: it was really a crime to have a camera so 232 00:13:57,120 --> 00:14:00,400 Speaker 1: I got it from a friend. It was sony hand 233 00:14:00,520 --> 00:14:03,760 Speaker 1: handy one, very small, and I couldn't take it out 234 00:14:03,880 --> 00:14:07,800 Speaker 1: from my bag. He was all the time, yeah, and 235 00:14:07,800 --> 00:14:10,040 Speaker 1: into my bag all the time, and I make holes 236 00:14:10,120 --> 00:14:13,719 Speaker 1: in many bags I have. So that protest was the 237 00:14:13,800 --> 00:14:16,560 Speaker 1: first time I really liked there that I can't take 238 00:14:16,640 --> 00:14:19,880 Speaker 1: my camera and put it out because like, this protest 239 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:22,920 Speaker 1: was like thousands of people. So I was like, I 240 00:14:22,960 --> 00:14:26,200 Speaker 1: don't care whatever will happen. This is very important to 241 00:14:26,240 --> 00:14:28,560 Speaker 1: be fun. So I've talked it out and start filming. 242 00:14:28,640 --> 00:14:30,560 Speaker 1: And how many other people were doing that at the time. 243 00:14:30,760 --> 00:14:33,280 Speaker 1: I don't think there was any camera. I'm like, because 244 00:14:33,360 --> 00:14:36,000 Speaker 1: no one was like thinking beyond what was happening. It 245 00:14:36,120 --> 00:14:39,200 Speaker 1: was more about news on Facebook. But I was like, okay, 246 00:14:39,240 --> 00:14:42,360 Speaker 1: I love filming and I really enjoyed that. So I 247 00:14:42,400 --> 00:14:44,720 Speaker 1: was That's why my friend who has the camera, he 248 00:14:44,760 --> 00:14:46,760 Speaker 1: didn't use it. He give it to me because you 249 00:14:46,840 --> 00:14:49,120 Speaker 1: think that this is a stupid care she will film 250 00:14:49,280 --> 00:14:53,240 Speaker 1: by me. This is too dangerous. I want to ask you, Edward, 251 00:14:53,640 --> 00:14:56,280 Speaker 1: so how do you interact with them for the first 252 00:14:56,320 --> 00:14:58,560 Speaker 1: time when you get the footage? We were match made 253 00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:01,040 Speaker 1: to be honest, as I say, when wed revealed that 254 00:15:01,120 --> 00:15:04,040 Speaker 1: she had this archive of over five hundred hours. Incredible 255 00:15:05,040 --> 00:15:07,080 Speaker 1: revealed to our colleagues at because she'd done some stuff 256 00:15:07,080 --> 00:15:09,560 Speaker 1: for Channel for News, so a couple of bits of 257 00:15:09,560 --> 00:15:12,000 Speaker 1: her footage had been seen on the news and as 258 00:15:12,000 --> 00:15:13,440 Speaker 1: you see in the film, you know they've got with 259 00:15:13,520 --> 00:15:16,280 Speaker 1: these likes and shares on Facebook. But you arrived in 260 00:15:16,320 --> 00:15:20,640 Speaker 1: London when with the footage two thousand seventeen February, one 261 00:15:20,640 --> 00:15:23,480 Speaker 1: month after we left a repo. I went to London 262 00:15:23,680 --> 00:15:25,840 Speaker 1: because I was working at Channel for News in two 263 00:15:25,840 --> 00:15:29,720 Speaker 1: thousands sixteen and we were nominated to some like so 264 00:15:29,840 --> 00:15:32,480 Speaker 1: you were getting stuff to them and like just a 265 00:15:32,480 --> 00:15:35,360 Speaker 1: little bit less than eight minutes, you had a presence 266 00:15:35,440 --> 00:15:38,000 Speaker 1: in the UK media and then you wind up meeting 267 00:15:38,040 --> 00:15:40,480 Speaker 1: with him. Yeah. What happened, well, essentially was like a 268 00:15:40,480 --> 00:15:43,840 Speaker 1: blind date. So we met each other and just started 269 00:15:43,880 --> 00:15:47,080 Speaker 1: talking and wad and basically we just had a conversation 270 00:15:47,240 --> 00:15:49,880 Speaker 1: about what she wanted to do with the footage and 271 00:15:50,280 --> 00:15:52,600 Speaker 1: what and when she started showing it to me, we 272 00:15:52,680 --> 00:15:55,920 Speaker 1: just sat for eight days with her scrubbing through this 273 00:15:56,080 --> 00:15:59,280 Speaker 1: stuff and showing just some fraction of what she gathered, 274 00:15:59,480 --> 00:16:02,320 Speaker 1: and I just knew that it was the most extraordinary 275 00:16:02,440 --> 00:16:05,560 Speaker 1: archive of documentary footage that I was aware of, because 276 00:16:05,640 --> 00:16:08,840 Speaker 1: not only did it capture all the horror and the 277 00:16:08,880 --> 00:16:11,200 Speaker 1: difficult times as you've seen, but it just captured the 278 00:16:11,200 --> 00:16:14,200 Speaker 1: full spectrum of human life. There, the joy, the jokes. 279 00:16:14,240 --> 00:16:16,640 Speaker 1: I mean, my experience of being in conflict zones is 280 00:16:16,640 --> 00:16:19,200 Speaker 1: how much humor there is. That's what people do to 281 00:16:19,280 --> 00:16:21,920 Speaker 1: keep themselves going, you know, to support each other, and 282 00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:24,400 Speaker 1: you often only hear about all the terrible things they've done. 283 00:16:24,680 --> 00:16:27,400 Speaker 1: You don't hear enough about what the best part of 284 00:16:27,480 --> 00:16:30,400 Speaker 1: human beings in those situations. And yet this amazing woman 285 00:16:30,440 --> 00:16:32,480 Speaker 1: had managed to capture it on film, and you know 286 00:16:32,560 --> 00:16:34,240 Speaker 1: you must know this. You know, normally when you start 287 00:16:34,240 --> 00:16:36,640 Speaker 1: a project, the question is right, we've got an idea, 288 00:16:36,720 --> 00:16:38,960 Speaker 1: like how good will this be? But when I sat 289 00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:41,040 Speaker 1: with her and we saw this footage, I was like, 290 00:16:41,120 --> 00:16:45,520 Speaker 1: this should be amazing, like and it's our responsibility to 291 00:16:45,600 --> 00:16:48,160 Speaker 1: do justice to these guys stories and to what she'd 292 00:16:48,200 --> 00:16:54,440 Speaker 1: managed to capture. Edward Watts alongside the four SAMA co 293 00:16:54,600 --> 00:16:59,440 Speaker 1: director wad Al Kateb and her husband Dr hamsa Olcatib. 294 00:17:00,240 --> 00:17:04,760 Speaker 1: The medical charity Doctors Without Borders, known by its French 295 00:17:04,880 --> 00:17:09,679 Speaker 1: acronym m SF is currently active near it Lib, the 296 00:17:09,800 --> 00:17:14,000 Speaker 1: last Syrian rebel stronghold. It's where wand and harms of 297 00:17:14,119 --> 00:17:19,480 Speaker 1: fled after militias drove them out of Aleppo. Dr Joanne 298 00:17:19,560 --> 00:17:24,760 Speaker 1: Lou just stepped down after six years as MSF's international president. 299 00:17:25,359 --> 00:17:28,160 Speaker 1: She and I talked about what it was like working 300 00:17:28,240 --> 00:17:32,080 Speaker 1: in war torn Zechenia. You are bringing other people in danger. 301 00:17:32,800 --> 00:17:34,840 Speaker 1: We were on the attack on a regular basis, that's 302 00:17:34,880 --> 00:17:38,320 Speaker 1: one thing, but the threat of being abducted was so huge, 303 00:17:38,920 --> 00:17:41,159 Speaker 1: and we knew that if something were ever to happen 304 00:17:41,920 --> 00:17:45,160 Speaker 1: to the MSF staff, then we will pull out, So 305 00:17:46,080 --> 00:17:50,080 Speaker 1: we were praying for not It was so nerve wracking 306 00:17:50,640 --> 00:17:53,480 Speaker 1: out of fear. Yeah, and I hate that because you 307 00:17:53,600 --> 00:17:55,520 Speaker 1: know this, this is so self center and compared to 308 00:17:55,560 --> 00:17:58,360 Speaker 1: what all those people are going through. Come on, get 309 00:17:58,359 --> 00:18:02,800 Speaker 1: a grip on yourself. The rest of my conversation with 310 00:18:02,920 --> 00:18:06,560 Speaker 1: Joanne Lou is in our archives that here's the thing, 311 00:18:06,800 --> 00:18:21,520 Speaker 1: Dot Org. I'm Alec Baldwin, and this is here's the thing. 312 00:18:22,359 --> 00:18:27,320 Speaker 1: When they began their filmmaking collaboration, wad Al Katibu handed 313 00:18:27,320 --> 00:18:32,679 Speaker 1: her London based collaborator Edward Watts, over five hours of 314 00:18:32,760 --> 00:18:37,119 Speaker 1: footage from inside Aleppo. And that wasn't all of it. 315 00:18:37,600 --> 00:18:39,320 Speaker 1: I mean she was still bringing out footage on a 316 00:18:39,320 --> 00:18:40,639 Speaker 1: couple of weeks ago. I was saying, hey, what did 317 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:42,760 Speaker 1: we never use this? I was like, stop, please see 318 00:18:42,760 --> 00:18:44,080 Speaker 1: the two of you like at home in bed, and 319 00:18:44,080 --> 00:18:51,240 Speaker 1: she's like, arms, wake up. Actually it was really annoying 320 00:18:52,880 --> 00:18:56,120 Speaker 1: because it's necessary, right, and she was spending everything, and 321 00:18:56,240 --> 00:18:59,520 Speaker 1: since she's the wife, I can't say anything, so just supports, 322 00:18:59,520 --> 00:19:03,720 Speaker 1: you deal, your pay and like, I always felt that 323 00:19:03,800 --> 00:19:06,399 Speaker 1: whatever you think about will happen, So I wanted the 324 00:19:06,520 --> 00:19:09,120 Speaker 1: attraction law and all of that. So I always was positive, 325 00:19:09,240 --> 00:19:11,680 Speaker 1: like we're going to live. Nothing will happen to the hospital, 326 00:19:11,720 --> 00:19:15,000 Speaker 1: everything is fine, We're going to get victory. And what 327 00:19:15,160 --> 00:19:17,879 Speaker 1: was always like filming like because you want to capture 328 00:19:17,920 --> 00:19:21,199 Speaker 1: everything whenever happens. And I was always like, you're just 329 00:19:21,320 --> 00:19:23,160 Speaker 1: terrifying me. I feel like I'm going to die now, 330 00:19:23,320 --> 00:19:25,800 Speaker 1: just please stop. I'm going to live. But it's interesting 331 00:19:25,840 --> 00:19:27,800 Speaker 1: that in the film you do get that sense and 332 00:19:27,840 --> 00:19:30,879 Speaker 1: you don't want to project something. When did you shoot 333 00:19:30,880 --> 00:19:32,720 Speaker 1: and when did you not shoot? Were there any rules? 334 00:19:33,400 --> 00:19:37,280 Speaker 1: I don't shoot when the battery is empty. This is 335 00:19:37,280 --> 00:19:40,360 Speaker 1: the only get to charge. Yeah, I was filming at 336 00:19:40,400 --> 00:19:43,600 Speaker 1: the two thousand and eleven and twelves like normally as 337 00:19:43,640 --> 00:19:46,840 Speaker 1: any other filmmaker could films like things that you think 338 00:19:46,920 --> 00:19:50,119 Speaker 1: that this is important, this is could be something important. 339 00:19:50,359 --> 00:19:53,000 Speaker 1: But then like in two thousand and thirteen, I was 340 00:19:53,080 --> 00:19:56,160 Speaker 1: like more filming because I get the sense of that 341 00:19:56,440 --> 00:20:00,560 Speaker 1: strange life. But then like suddenly we've been in hospital 342 00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:03,360 Speaker 1: for the first six months and I was like shooting 343 00:20:03,480 --> 00:20:07,480 Speaker 1: us like in the mascret or eating or something, and 344 00:20:07,520 --> 00:20:10,760 Speaker 1: then suddenly like two of the people who we lived with, 345 00:20:11,119 --> 00:20:14,399 Speaker 1: there's just like being killed. And at that moment, I 346 00:20:14,440 --> 00:20:17,680 Speaker 1: felt like every minute could be the last one, and 347 00:20:17,760 --> 00:20:20,520 Speaker 1: it's so important for us to keep that. And I 348 00:20:20,520 --> 00:20:24,200 Speaker 1: think even you said that one time that at that moment, 349 00:20:24,240 --> 00:20:26,639 Speaker 1: I felt like, no, we need all this life to 350 00:20:26,680 --> 00:20:30,399 Speaker 1: be saved, whatever the situation was, and because really I 351 00:20:30,400 --> 00:20:33,920 Speaker 1: felt that I could be killed now, so this is important. 352 00:20:34,400 --> 00:20:37,440 Speaker 1: I didn't feel at at any footage I've got that 353 00:20:37,480 --> 00:20:40,880 Speaker 1: there's something it could be not important. You had cards, 354 00:20:40,920 --> 00:20:44,119 Speaker 1: obviously digital cards that were files that filled up, and 355 00:20:44,160 --> 00:20:47,800 Speaker 1: did you have problems getting more and more supplies? Was 356 00:20:47,840 --> 00:20:49,800 Speaker 1: it difficult or did you have a pipeline to get 357 00:20:49,800 --> 00:20:53,600 Speaker 1: that stuff because of your relationship with the British television states. Yeah, 358 00:20:53,600 --> 00:20:56,720 Speaker 1: the British television relation was in two thousands sixteen, which 359 00:20:56,800 --> 00:20:59,639 Speaker 1: is just the last year, but everything before was I 360 00:20:59,680 --> 00:21:02,080 Speaker 1: was on and even on my relationship with them, they 361 00:21:02,119 --> 00:21:06,119 Speaker 1: support me a lot that like emotionally because they don't 362 00:21:06,119 --> 00:21:09,720 Speaker 1: have any chance to get anything inside. But Alippo was 363 00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:12,760 Speaker 1: not a small city, and there there was a Jurkish 364 00:21:12,760 --> 00:21:15,720 Speaker 1: border which is opened, so there's a trade always. You 365 00:21:15,760 --> 00:21:17,760 Speaker 1: have everything. You can buy a drone if you want 366 00:21:17,800 --> 00:21:19,960 Speaker 1: to buy a drone, and you shot with the drone, 367 00:21:20,400 --> 00:21:23,960 Speaker 1: I could tell Yeah, I thought, I thought, I'm looking 368 00:21:23,960 --> 00:21:26,000 Speaker 1: at the landscape thinking, I don't think there's any buildings 369 00:21:26,000 --> 00:21:27,600 Speaker 1: that were tall enough for you to stand in the 370 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:30,560 Speaker 1: window to shoot those shot you shot with the drone. Yeah, 371 00:21:31,800 --> 00:21:34,199 Speaker 1: did you go to Turkey? No. I got it from 372 00:21:34,240 --> 00:21:37,040 Speaker 1: also another friend who brought it before, but he didn't 373 00:21:37,040 --> 00:21:40,800 Speaker 1: work on that. So the first like ten times I 374 00:21:40,840 --> 00:21:43,760 Speaker 1: was just going with him teach me how to do this. 375 00:21:44,480 --> 00:21:47,360 Speaker 1: So also the footage that you've seen, it's not very good. Actually, 376 00:21:47,760 --> 00:21:50,960 Speaker 1: this is like a little bit of what I could capture, 377 00:21:51,040 --> 00:21:53,639 Speaker 1: which is good, and it's seen a lot of like 378 00:21:53,880 --> 00:21:56,600 Speaker 1: miss of some things like where you can did you 379 00:21:56,640 --> 00:21:59,359 Speaker 1: crash the drone a few times? Yes? Yeah, it's been 380 00:21:59,640 --> 00:22:01,680 Speaker 1: like act you. I was very lucky that I did 381 00:22:01,760 --> 00:22:04,800 Speaker 1: that last scene and then the day after that it 382 00:22:04,960 --> 00:22:08,000 Speaker 1: was like I didn't work. But also like there's a 383 00:22:08,240 --> 00:22:11,359 Speaker 1: very big problems always happened. Was like the laptop and 384 00:22:11,520 --> 00:22:15,159 Speaker 1: they s the card and the charger of this, and 385 00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:19,119 Speaker 1: then it's very really I don't know, but small things, 386 00:22:19,119 --> 00:22:21,280 Speaker 1: but it's very the power go out over time. This 387 00:22:21,440 --> 00:22:24,760 Speaker 1: is another problem which you have specific time to do this, 388 00:22:25,080 --> 00:22:27,720 Speaker 1: or if you are in the hospital, there's better than 389 00:22:27,840 --> 00:22:31,200 Speaker 1: if you are at home. But it's all like, for example, 390 00:22:31,240 --> 00:22:34,920 Speaker 1: my my Mike was damage in one place and there's 391 00:22:35,040 --> 00:22:38,919 Speaker 1: one scene from that damage Mike, but I don't have 392 00:22:39,160 --> 00:22:41,840 Speaker 1: any other one after this. So it was like a 393 00:22:41,880 --> 00:22:45,520 Speaker 1: lot of obstrutting things, but it's done in the end. 394 00:22:45,840 --> 00:22:50,240 Speaker 1: Now you're obviously you're a physician, and you stayed because 395 00:22:50,240 --> 00:22:53,040 Speaker 1: you felt an obligation to your community. Exactly. That's what 396 00:22:53,119 --> 00:22:56,800 Speaker 1: happened because we we had a chance to leave Semma 397 00:22:57,080 --> 00:23:00,280 Speaker 1: with my parents in Turkey before going back to Apple. 398 00:23:01,240 --> 00:23:03,920 Speaker 1: But the first thing that came to both of our 399 00:23:03,920 --> 00:23:06,880 Speaker 1: minds that what life its child will have, Like if 400 00:23:06,880 --> 00:23:09,639 Speaker 1: she just grew away from her parents, we might be 401 00:23:09,760 --> 00:23:12,600 Speaker 1: killed or we might be sieged for five years and 402 00:23:12,600 --> 00:23:16,159 Speaker 1: she will just grow up with her grandparents for five years. 403 00:23:16,960 --> 00:23:19,719 Speaker 1: So we just like that we'll just stay together as 404 00:23:19,760 --> 00:23:23,320 Speaker 1: a family. Whatever we were facing, we're facing it together. 405 00:23:23,520 --> 00:23:26,800 Speaker 1: And also we felt, as you said, very responsible for 406 00:23:26,960 --> 00:23:28,960 Speaker 1: to being part of this community, Like it's not when 407 00:23:29,000 --> 00:23:31,240 Speaker 1: the hardest time, we say like, oh now we're taking 408 00:23:31,320 --> 00:23:33,520 Speaker 1: like the safe side and it's just only you because 409 00:23:33,560 --> 00:23:36,800 Speaker 1: we were part of them. And I feel like we're 410 00:23:37,040 --> 00:23:40,119 Speaker 1: like traitor if we just take the safe side and 411 00:23:40,200 --> 00:23:43,679 Speaker 1: just escape. But eventually you do live, event you do 412 00:23:43,760 --> 00:23:45,920 Speaker 1: the well, what's the breaking point? When do you say 413 00:23:45,960 --> 00:23:48,240 Speaker 1: to yourself, I wanna let me have your opinion about her, 414 00:23:48,680 --> 00:23:51,119 Speaker 1: Like we didn't live really like we were forced to 415 00:23:51,160 --> 00:23:53,960 Speaker 1: flee out and like a lipple. When we left, there 416 00:23:54,080 --> 00:23:57,080 Speaker 1: was no one at all like the Russian and a 417 00:23:57,160 --> 00:24:00,280 Speaker 1: sad regime was the Turkish government and do you and 418 00:24:00,320 --> 00:24:02,679 Speaker 1: they decided that all these people who are in Alppho 419 00:24:02,720 --> 00:24:05,560 Speaker 1: will be displaced out and the regime will control this. 420 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:08,119 Speaker 1: So even this there was no option for us to 421 00:24:08,200 --> 00:24:11,040 Speaker 1: stay or not to stay. We were the last convoy 422 00:24:11,119 --> 00:24:14,359 Speaker 1: who left Aleppo and Alipano or under the regime control. 423 00:24:14,480 --> 00:24:18,000 Speaker 1: We're struggling to stay. Basically all that we we went, 424 00:24:18,080 --> 00:24:21,399 Speaker 1: the decision was made for you exactly just the final 425 00:24:21,480 --> 00:24:26,200 Speaker 1: days we were like seed in around two square kilometers 426 00:24:26,240 --> 00:24:31,159 Speaker 1: only surrounded by the Iranian forces, covered by the Russian 427 00:24:31,640 --> 00:24:37,119 Speaker 1: work crafts. And then Turkey came to the militias that 428 00:24:37,240 --> 00:24:40,640 Speaker 1: controlling our area that this is your only option. Either 429 00:24:40,720 --> 00:24:44,720 Speaker 1: will come inside and we don't guarantee what the Iranians 430 00:24:44,720 --> 00:24:47,920 Speaker 1: will do. You either get out or whoever wants to say, 431 00:24:48,119 --> 00:24:52,960 Speaker 1: can stay. So basically all the fighters, doctors, activist, journalist, teachers, 432 00:24:53,600 --> 00:24:57,199 Speaker 1: with their families and children, they just went out. The 433 00:24:57,240 --> 00:25:01,240 Speaker 1: woman who's cooking the rice, who were the head scarf? 434 00:25:01,520 --> 00:25:04,760 Speaker 1: What is her name? She's a she's your friend. Yes. 435 00:25:05,320 --> 00:25:07,160 Speaker 1: Have you still remained in touch with them at all? 436 00:25:07,320 --> 00:25:10,080 Speaker 1: We stayed like every day they are in Turkey in 437 00:25:10,200 --> 00:25:13,920 Speaker 1: Ghaza top and we were just like the last August 438 00:25:13,960 --> 00:25:17,639 Speaker 1: we had holiday for three weeks we spent together and 439 00:25:17,760 --> 00:25:20,879 Speaker 1: they've like good, doing very well, but it's still like 440 00:25:20,960 --> 00:25:23,959 Speaker 1: not that get good life in Turkey. It's a lot 441 00:25:24,000 --> 00:25:26,720 Speaker 1: of rasism and the kids not very happy at school, 442 00:25:27,000 --> 00:25:30,560 Speaker 1: but they are like safe, doing very very good in Turkey. 443 00:25:31,119 --> 00:25:33,760 Speaker 1: When you immediately leave a Luba, where do you go? 444 00:25:34,119 --> 00:25:38,080 Speaker 1: We went to Atlib for two weeks is the last 445 00:25:38,080 --> 00:25:41,919 Speaker 1: area out of regime control. Whereas the Times articles speaks 446 00:25:41,920 --> 00:25:46,200 Speaker 1: about this hospital and we've we stayed there two weeks 447 00:25:46,280 --> 00:25:49,680 Speaker 1: until we've got a permission because from the doctor to 448 00:25:49,840 --> 00:25:54,800 Speaker 1: cross the Turkish border to see our families. Since that time, 449 00:25:54,840 --> 00:25:57,480 Speaker 1: we've never went back. And you went to Turkey for 450 00:25:57,520 --> 00:25:59,960 Speaker 1: how long we stayed? One year and a half until 451 00:26:00,040 --> 00:26:04,560 Speaker 1: we moved to London? And why London? Why you got 452 00:26:04,560 --> 00:26:12,160 Speaker 1: the visa British a lot, my friends a lot. Now, 453 00:26:12,320 --> 00:26:14,760 Speaker 1: when you get this footage and you sit down and 454 00:26:14,800 --> 00:26:17,840 Speaker 1: you work with Ward, what were some of the biggest 455 00:26:17,880 --> 00:26:20,359 Speaker 1: decisions you had in terms of what stays? I mean 456 00:26:20,359 --> 00:26:23,880 Speaker 1: because obviously in a film like this there's so much 457 00:26:23,920 --> 00:26:26,920 Speaker 1: suffering and there's so much and you have to put 458 00:26:26,960 --> 00:26:30,439 Speaker 1: the right amount that in the mix. What were some 459 00:26:30,520 --> 00:26:35,960 Speaker 1: of the difficult choices out Everyone had a particular scene 460 00:26:36,040 --> 00:26:37,840 Speaker 1: that mattered a lot to them on the whole team 461 00:26:37,880 --> 00:26:39,560 Speaker 1: that they wish we could have included. I mean, there 462 00:26:39,600 --> 00:26:41,720 Speaker 1: was one scene the hands are brought up right when 463 00:26:41,720 --> 00:26:43,640 Speaker 1: we were about to lock the film, he said, why 464 00:26:43,680 --> 00:26:46,080 Speaker 1: couldn't we put that in? And I was like, it's done, 465 00:26:46,320 --> 00:26:48,200 Speaker 1: which is an extraordinary thing. It's like a film from 466 00:26:48,880 --> 00:26:50,840 Speaker 1: a scene from a Hollywood film where you see these 467 00:26:50,840 --> 00:26:53,679 Speaker 1: guys walking down the street. They're just like very small 468 00:26:53,920 --> 00:26:57,200 Speaker 1: and a sniper comes shooting at them and basically hits 469 00:26:57,200 --> 00:27:00,560 Speaker 1: around their feet and they all go yeah, they jump 470 00:27:00,600 --> 00:27:04,280 Speaker 1: over a wall. This uh. This like video was filmed 471 00:27:04,280 --> 00:27:07,440 Speaker 1: by someone who we don't know, and we met him 472 00:27:07,480 --> 00:27:10,280 Speaker 1: like two years after that, and he was like telling 473 00:27:10,320 --> 00:27:13,359 Speaker 1: one of our friends that he has seen he ticked 474 00:27:13,400 --> 00:27:16,560 Speaker 1: from the window for people walking in that and then 475 00:27:16,760 --> 00:27:19,000 Speaker 1: my friend was like, show me this and then they 476 00:27:19,200 --> 00:27:22,560 Speaker 1: recognize us, so they give us this video. So even 477 00:27:22,640 --> 00:27:26,239 Speaker 1: like it's really strange things and if someone told you this, 478 00:27:26,359 --> 00:27:29,320 Speaker 1: you will not like trust that's true, But when you 479 00:27:29,440 --> 00:27:32,679 Speaker 1: see this you can like see us both. There was 480 00:27:32,720 --> 00:27:34,359 Speaker 1: so much, but I think the thing that we wanted 481 00:27:34,400 --> 00:27:36,679 Speaker 1: to do was make a film that like you guys 482 00:27:36,760 --> 00:27:39,040 Speaker 1: coming in off the sunny streets of like that East 483 00:27:39,080 --> 00:27:41,480 Speaker 1: Hampton could go to a lepar for an hour and 484 00:27:41,480 --> 00:27:43,480 Speaker 1: a half, you know, and that you could be there 485 00:27:43,680 --> 00:27:46,240 Speaker 1: and you could feel what these guys went through, understand 486 00:27:46,320 --> 00:27:49,560 Speaker 1: it and bear it because in the earlier versions, you know, 487 00:27:49,920 --> 00:27:51,480 Speaker 1: some of the cuts that we did early on, we 488 00:27:51,480 --> 00:27:53,520 Speaker 1: showed it to our friends and family and they were 489 00:27:53,520 --> 00:27:56,399 Speaker 1: overwhelmed because it went too dark. And so one of 490 00:27:56,400 --> 00:27:59,240 Speaker 1: our big things is getting the movement between the light 491 00:27:59,280 --> 00:28:01,679 Speaker 1: and the dark, when you know, when you've been hammered, 492 00:28:01,960 --> 00:28:04,480 Speaker 1: you had a moment where you could just draw breath, 493 00:28:04,640 --> 00:28:06,879 Speaker 1: where we just had an uncut shot of Samma just 494 00:28:06,960 --> 00:28:10,520 Speaker 1: being amazing, where you could just settle down and think, right, 495 00:28:10,560 --> 00:28:12,880 Speaker 1: there is still good in life in the world. We've 496 00:28:12,880 --> 00:28:17,040 Speaker 1: really tried to do find a way to give the 497 00:28:17,160 --> 00:28:21,440 Speaker 1: right reflection of the true experience because like after everything 498 00:28:21,480 --> 00:28:24,240 Speaker 1: we went to though, we're still like very strong and 499 00:28:24,400 --> 00:28:27,359 Speaker 1: very we still like stand and keep fighting for the 500 00:28:27,600 --> 00:28:30,199 Speaker 1: for this as we were there, and just like the 501 00:28:30,240 --> 00:28:32,840 Speaker 1: true experience of this is not like people who have 502 00:28:32,960 --> 00:28:36,159 Speaker 1: been like attacking in these places and then in the 503 00:28:36,240 --> 00:28:40,240 Speaker 1: end they are really lost or really not feeling good. 504 00:28:40,600 --> 00:28:43,920 Speaker 1: So in in that new structure which we did the 505 00:28:43,960 --> 00:28:47,000 Speaker 1: last one you've seen now, it's more about like going 506 00:28:47,040 --> 00:28:49,920 Speaker 1: between the dark and light and giving the people the 507 00:28:50,000 --> 00:28:52,720 Speaker 1: understanding like why we stayed and just how much hope 508 00:28:52,760 --> 00:28:54,239 Speaker 1: there was. I mean, that was the thing, you know, 509 00:28:54,360 --> 00:28:56,800 Speaker 1: after all these guys have been through. When I met 510 00:28:56,840 --> 00:28:58,320 Speaker 1: them for the first time and got to know them, 511 00:28:58,560 --> 00:29:01,160 Speaker 1: you just felt how much hope they had, how much 512 00:29:01,160 --> 00:29:04,440 Speaker 1: they look back on This experience actually is an important 513 00:29:04,440 --> 00:29:06,720 Speaker 1: one and a positive one in their lives, despite the 514 00:29:06,720 --> 00:29:09,840 Speaker 1: way it ended. And that was so important to convey 515 00:29:09,960 --> 00:29:13,400 Speaker 1: because there is always hope. Frankly speaking, I've lost top 516 00:29:13,600 --> 00:29:17,480 Speaker 1: because basically we've tried everything, like I've I've done a 517 00:29:17,480 --> 00:29:20,880 Speaker 1: petition that was signed by eight hundred thousand people in 518 00:29:21,160 --> 00:29:25,160 Speaker 1: different countries demanding the world leaders too to interfere. I've 519 00:29:25,160 --> 00:29:29,240 Speaker 1: done so many, like I can't countless interviews with media 520 00:29:29,360 --> 00:29:32,240 Speaker 1: we've known with this film. Now, I think it's in 521 00:29:32,280 --> 00:29:35,120 Speaker 1: our hand just to save the narrative for the future, 522 00:29:35,600 --> 00:29:40,960 Speaker 1: hoping that one day accountability will happen. And I said, 523 00:29:41,000 --> 00:29:43,760 Speaker 1: now has it's controlling eighty percent of Syria and that's it. 524 00:29:44,080 --> 00:29:46,680 Speaker 1: So the only thing is just to keep the awareness, 525 00:29:46,840 --> 00:29:50,920 Speaker 1: keep talking about it. There's countless war crimes that has happened, 526 00:29:51,160 --> 00:29:56,240 Speaker 1: there are countless witnesses, and one day accountability should happen. Uh. 527 00:29:56,280 --> 00:29:59,440 Speaker 1: Your Syrian heritage is obviously important to you, how do 528 00:29:59,440 --> 00:30:01,280 Speaker 1: you keep it a life for your daughters now that 529 00:30:01,280 --> 00:30:04,760 Speaker 1: you're living in London. Like, she knows very well where 530 00:30:04,800 --> 00:30:06,880 Speaker 1: she is from, and this is the first thing. I 531 00:30:06,920 --> 00:30:09,680 Speaker 1: was like, where are you from? And she said, like 532 00:30:09,840 --> 00:30:12,560 Speaker 1: Syria and Alippo. I've showed her some of the wedding 533 00:30:12,640 --> 00:30:16,560 Speaker 1: scene and her relationship with Nya for example, which is 534 00:30:16,800 --> 00:30:19,640 Speaker 1: Nya the little daughter which she is in the film too. 535 00:30:20,840 --> 00:30:24,040 Speaker 1: We've tried any a lot now to keep speaking Arabic 536 00:30:24,440 --> 00:30:28,720 Speaker 1: atomb so they can still like feel the atmosphere. She 537 00:30:28,760 --> 00:30:30,920 Speaker 1: can see a lot of pictures on the wall and 538 00:30:31,120 --> 00:30:34,240 Speaker 1: a lot of things related to Syria and our home home. 539 00:30:34,440 --> 00:30:36,880 Speaker 1: The main thing that's only for Cem, but all the 540 00:30:37,320 --> 00:30:39,720 Speaker 1: we hope but this film will do for all the 541 00:30:39,800 --> 00:30:44,800 Speaker 1: next generation, to save the narratives, save the history of 542 00:30:44,920 --> 00:30:48,000 Speaker 1: what what really happened in Syria, because still the moment, 543 00:30:48,040 --> 00:30:51,120 Speaker 1: most of the news, most of the reports are about ices. 544 00:30:51,760 --> 00:30:55,360 Speaker 1: Most of the U. N and w h O statements 545 00:30:55,600 --> 00:30:58,920 Speaker 1: was all in passive voice, that that hospitals were bombed, 546 00:30:59,240 --> 00:31:02,800 Speaker 1: words like if war in Syria, those killing each other 547 00:31:02,840 --> 00:31:06,680 Speaker 1: and all of that. So we hoped from this film 548 00:31:06,720 --> 00:31:09,440 Speaker 1: for Cement for everyone, just to save for the next 549 00:31:09,440 --> 00:31:14,520 Speaker 1: generation that what happened Isa was a revolution, was peaceful 550 00:31:14,560 --> 00:31:19,240 Speaker 1: people trying to claim their rights and they were faced 551 00:31:19,320 --> 00:31:27,000 Speaker 1: with the hardest attacks by all the evil triangle in 552 00:31:27,040 --> 00:31:30,440 Speaker 1: the world, like Russian and the regime, the Iranians. And 553 00:31:30,560 --> 00:31:32,560 Speaker 1: that's what we hope when she grew up, she will 554 00:31:32,760 --> 00:31:35,960 Speaker 1: know exactly where she's coming from. Is there another film 555 00:31:36,080 --> 00:31:41,360 Speaker 1: about the life you've made now? No? No, your husband 556 00:31:41,400 --> 00:31:45,520 Speaker 1: just both stand for us. Don't point out camera me. No, 557 00:31:45,800 --> 00:31:48,000 Speaker 1: really we what we're trying to do more now with 558 00:31:48,120 --> 00:31:50,520 Speaker 1: the rest of the footage that I have. It's more 559 00:31:50,560 --> 00:31:55,200 Speaker 1: about trying to build a basic um like place for 560 00:31:55,240 --> 00:32:00,360 Speaker 1: them to be used in some low suit for court 561 00:32:00,400 --> 00:32:04,560 Speaker 1: against the regime and Russians. Co director Edward watts hams 562 00:32:04,640 --> 00:32:09,840 Speaker 1: alcateb what sorry. Just before everybody goes, people need to 563 00:32:09,880 --> 00:32:12,880 Speaker 1: get motivated to do something, and we're trying to use 564 00:32:13,240 --> 00:32:16,120 Speaker 1: the incredible reaction to help make a difference in Syria. 565 00:32:16,160 --> 00:32:19,600 Speaker 1: We're launching a campaign called Action for Samma. Are simple 566 00:32:19,640 --> 00:32:22,720 Speaker 1: message that we're beginning with is stop bombing hospitals. That's 567 00:32:22,760 --> 00:32:25,520 Speaker 1: our tagline. We could use your help, so please follow 568 00:32:25,560 --> 00:32:28,040 Speaker 1: Action for Samma. Help us in whatever way you can 569 00:32:28,280 --> 00:32:35,720 Speaker 1: thank you very much for me. Thank you. That was 570 00:32:35,880 --> 00:32:40,920 Speaker 1: Edward Watts, what alcatib and Dr Hams a rctibe. The 571 00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:45,040 Speaker 1: website of their organization is action for Samma dot org. 572 00:32:45,680 --> 00:32:51,720 Speaker 1: Their movie is available streaming on PBS. I'm Alec Baldwin 573 00:32:52,000 --> 00:33:08,360 Speaker 1: and this is Here's the thing. Four four