Project Detail

Murder and Miracles

Name: Murder and Miracles
Director: Waad al-Kateab
Genre: Human Rights, Woman Director
Released: 2024
Duration: 84 min

Synopsis

In the early hours of 6 February 2023, a Mw 7.8 earthquake hit a large area of Turkey and Syria. It’s destructiveness was exacerbated by the instability that had torn the region apart. Waad Al-Kateab’s film is powerful record of the disaster, drawing images from TV news reports, social media, CCTV and drone footage, alongside archive material of the region. The shock of the earthquake soon gives way to a damning record of human failure, with Al-Kateab focusing on two Syrian families over the course of ten days, sensitively recording their desperate efforts to find their loved ones. Highlighting official incompetence and a paltry level of humanitarian aid, Death Without Mercy is, above all else, a moving testament to human dignity. (Sheffield DocFest 2024 Programme)
Official Selection Sheffield DocFest 2024

Details

Year: 2024
Type of project: Features
Running time: 84 min
Director: Waad al-Kateab
Producer: Lawrence Elman, Hasan Kattan, Ben De Pear, Sophie Daniel
Executive Producer: Sheila Nevins, Nina L Diaz, Liza Burnett Fefferman
Editor: Agnieszka Liggett
Director of Photography: Fadi Alhalabi
Sound: Paul Zanders, Nick Clapham
Film Title Note: FKA Death Without Mercy

Genre

Human Rights Woman Director

Production Status

Complete

Production Company

UK, US co-production

AMC Media Production (SY]), Basement Films (UK), Docsville Studios (UK),

MTV Documentary Films (US)

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In this participatory documentary, filmmaker Rabie Mustapha works with a group of children living in Northern Ireland to tell stories about their family life and cultural backgrounds. Despite the children’s globalised nature, they manage to bring in an insight to specific cultural journeys from Al-Nuba, Halab and the Northern Irish countryside. We see Maya, an inquisitive 9 year old girl whose hobby is to deliver shocking facts within a deadpan and to ask deep philosophical questions. Through an interview with her mom we learn about her Nubian heritage and a long history of generations displacement. Mahmoud and Khalid on the other hand are more calm and observant. Through their filmmaking journey we learn about their Syrian and Turkman heritage. With Mila we see the countryside of Limavady and learn about a more relaxed way of living where children are more connected to nature and where the girl’s artistic abilities are developing. Through this pluralistic film Northern Ireland is portrayed as a changing place with more than one face.

Northern Irish

Climate activist and Artist Barbara Keal leads the walks to COP26 in Glasgow

Of Walking on Thin Ice (Camino to Cop26)

Director: Benjamin Wigley

Year: 2022

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Climate / Environment Experimental