Original subtitles

That's me Waad, 10 years ago

was 18 years old

That year I lett my family home to study at Aleppo University

My parents told me to be careful

They always said I was headstrong

even reckless

I never understood what they meant

until I had a daughter

You

Downstairs, downstairs

Another one's coming

’m coming

Can someone take Sama please?

Downstairs, quickly!

Was it an airstrike?

A tank shell

This is insane We're getting this every day

Quick, we've got to go downstairs

Who's got Sama?

Sama!

It hit behind us

Where's my girl?

Who's got my girl?

Not us

Get the children out

Come on, we need to pump the ventilators by hand

Come on, quick. quick!

Where's my girl?

Nurse, nurse!

Oh God! Oh God!

Your daughter's there

'm coming, my love

Where is she?

Here she is. she's feeding

- I had the mask on her face - She was asleep when ...

Now, she's feeding

We've had enough fun for one day

Not to worry, Doctor. We're strong

We’re resilient

We're well fortified

Oh shut up tor God’s sake!

By the way, ever since you said the hospital can't be bombed...

been bombed constantly

Exactly!

She's saying, "Mum, why did you give birth to me?"

"It's been nothing but war since the day I was born"

Sama

You're the most beautiful thing in our life

But what a life l've brought you into

You didn't choose this

Will you ever forgive me?

The Syrian régimé and its allies have put us under siege

Aleppo

My city

We never thought the world would let this happen

keep filming

It gives me a reason to be here

It makes the nightmares feel worthwhile

When I hear the Russian warplanes in the sky

It cuts through me

Yes, l'm scared of dying

But what scares me the most

is losing you

Sama

've made this film for you

need you to understand

Why your father and I made the choices we did

What we were fighting for

I was in the fourth year of my economics degree when the revolution began

It's the morning of April 29th 2012

Aleppo

Science department

This is the great wall of the university

Good morning

What are you doing?

We're overthrowing President Bashar even if only on the walls

We're the free students of Aleppo University

The dictatorship of the Ássad family had ruled Syria since your grandfather was ten

The country was drowning In corruptlon injustice and oppression

Raise your voice, raise your voice!

We'll live in dignity or die!

Free students in Aleppo University! University of the revolution!

Our revolution is peaceful! Muslims and Christians together!

The régimé denied protests were happening

Filming on mobiles was the only way to show the world we were fighting for our freedom

Traitors, traitors, traitors!

Traitors. traitors, traitors!

The Syrian army betray the people

Traitors. traitors, traitors!

Let me pást. let me pást

Let me pást. let me pást

The soldiers behind you! Look, look! You are a UN observer!

Look behind us, the soldiers!

There they are

Look. look! Use your eyes!

Don't teli me you can't see them!

Lock the door. lock the door!

Lock the door, lock the door!

Look, look!

Don't you see? Are they not security forces?

Open the window!

Don't do it, they'll árrést us

They'll beat us

Go go, they will árrést us

Keep it shut

iujnos

Sama

At that time. the only thing we cared about was the revolution

Hey Harnza

You guys are so laté

Stop nagging

Stop nagging

'm just excited

Excited?

Let's go

Hamza was one of my close friends

He'd graduated as a doctor

Hello Dr Harnza

He helped people injured in the protests

The first aid team are on our way to the Friday demonstration

We're rushing because we're laté

Hamza had a constant smile on his face

He put me at ease

No rnatter what was happening

Because he was one of the few doctors who was also an activist

I was always filming him

Am I looking good? How's the sound?

He was in a long-term relationship at the time

We're filming!

None of us had any idea how our old lives would soon be swept away

29th January 2013

East Aleppo

We've heard bodies have been found in the river

Everyone please

Please

If you've seen the bodies, go outside

No reason to rush The new bodies won't be buried today

Are you here to film this?

Of course

Today Aleppo woke up to a massacre

And that's putting it mildly

The initial forensic examination shows clear marks of torture on most of the bodies

All the bodies were handcuffed civilians

Most were executed with a buliét to the head

What are they doing?

They're trying to fish the bodies out

All these people lived in areas that opposed the régimé

Most had last been seen at a régimé checkpoint

We felt it was a message

Our dead have gone to paradise

Bashar has killed our people That son of a killer

Our dead have gone to paradise

We were shocked at what the régimé was willing to do to stay in power

Your grandparents were scared for me, Sama

Listen

They told me to come home but l'm not going to

No

There's no way they'd let me return here and there's so much I could contribute

Headstrong as I was back then

Of course I decided to stay

Hamza's wife was pushing him to leave Syria

He had to decide between the revolution and his marriage

He chose to stay

When armed rebels freed the east of the city

the regirne's violence grew ever more extreme

Is Harnza there?

Hamza was one of 32 doctors who stayed in east Aleppo

How many are in there?

We pulled the woman from here

She said she has a five month old baby

We're going to keep digging until we find him

There's a five month old baby down there

Without the régimé we had to do everything for ourselves

There were no schools emergency or medical services

So Hamza and our friends set up a hospital

We have to thank Bashar Ássad for forcing us to do everything from scratch

We get to be our own cleaners pharmacists, plumbers

Are you happy doctor?

You're the manager of the hospital but you’re mucking around with your staff like this?

Is this why you wanted freedom?

No, that's not nice

Yes it is

How are you feeling?

It's beautiful to have the word freedom painted across my forehead

Omar on the lett

had just won a scholarship to study architecture

Gaith on the right was a medical student before the revolution

They both volunteered as nurses

We were a family

We shared a lot of moments together for the first time

The struggle to survive

It's been halt an hour and he's still breathing

It wasn't wrong to try to savé him

He's hungry to live

We had our first taste of shelling together

Downstairs, downstairs

Quickly. quickly

Waad!

didn't know whether to laugh or run

said calm down, let's go

He was like, "Fighter jet, fighter jet!"

Sadly we also shared our first loss

Gaith and his brother Mahmoud were killed in an airstrike

Ornar was killed by a tank shell

Omar was killed by a tank shell

Are you ok?

Losing them made it even more important to go on

Whatever the cost

One day at the hospital

I was filming a boy they were trying to savé

It made me cry

Hamza came and told me angrily

"You can't cry here. get out of here"

I ran upstairs

He followed me and said "What’s wrong?

He followed me and said "What's wrong"

"I can't bear to see you break down"

"Don't you realise I am in love with you?"

"Will you marry me?"

I couldn't believe it

Our wedding was small but beautiful. Sama

The sound of our songs was louder than the bombs falling outside

Turn the light off for them

It's the Pink Panther!

I did think that for a minute

the last song!

All of you leave us alone

Hamza was someone who took me by the hand and told me

This is the road we’re taking

It is a long road, full of danger and fear

But freedom waits for us at the end

Come

Let's walk it together

Good morning sweetheart!

There's lots of airstrikes today. right?

But we haven't been hit, yay!

My love

Sama

Things have got so bad now

Your Dad can’t leave the hospital

so we live here now

This is our room

Behind those pictures are sandbags to protect from shelling

Yes, l'm coming ~

We do our best to make it feel like home

it starting again?

Helicopter approaching the frontline armed with a barrel bomb

There's an emergency

've got to go downstairs

Just wait out here boys

- Is he your brother? - Yes

Where was the strike?

I was at the window teliing my brother to come inside

and suddenly it struck

The missile hit the house

No pulse?

He's our brother

There’s nothing

He was just outside the house...

May he rest in peace. pray for him

Was my son Mohammad brought here?

What's his last name?

Mohammad. Mohammad

What's his last name?

It’s my son! It's Mohammad!

- Is he your son? - Yes! Of course it is!

- Let me help you - He's my son and l'll carry hím

He is my son. This is my love.

Why wouldn't I carry him?

Mother. mother

He's my son

Let me cany him foryou

- l’ll carry him for you - No, no, don't take him from me

I wouldn’t forgive you

I wouldn't forgive you if you do

This is my son, this is my son

Mohammad Ameen is dead

Mohammad Ameen is dead

My darling is dead

He’s dead

What's wrong?

Nothing

Children have nothing to do with this, nothing

suffocating. Sama

I keep seeing you down there like that boy

and me like his mother

can't teli Hamza

I can't even bear to teli rnyself

I can't even bear to teli myself

Here is Aleppo, here is Aleppo!

Aleppo, 18th March 2015

For such a long time 

For such a long time we were sure we would win

For such a long time 

In rebel Aleppo we lived in a free country

Finally we felt like we had a home

We were ready to put roots into the ground

This is the guest room

Why's the light on?

Turn it off, the wiring's dodgy

Ok, sorry

Today is a very special day for me

We finally got the house and cleaned it

We had many problems

but now we can enjoy living in this beautiful house

love you

Congratulations on the house

We found our first home together

It had a garden just like the house where I grew up

God created this beauty and you just want to cut it back?

At that tíme everything in the city looked beautiful to me

Look at the table!

Look how pretty this looks

It looks beautiful

Aren't you scared?

Hand it over

Seriously?

My camera!

I love you so much Evén more than the snow

'I love \ou'

I'm pregnant!

Oh my God

Hamza, I'm pregnant

Hamza, I'm pregnant

Can you see the hand?

Evén before you were born we knew you were special, Sama

This is the hand

It's a naughty one

I love you

The happiness you brought was laced with fear

Our new life with you felt so fragile

As fragile as the freedom we felt in Aleppo

Islamic extremists were trying to take over the rebellion

But what they did was nothing compared to the brutality of the régimé

It's there

there, it's there!

Has it bornbed?

Not yet

coming back

In the name of God

Oh God

It didn't hit our building but the ones behind us

Poor plants

Bloody Ássad

Be careful darling

What's wrong?

I mean we created something

We planted them

We watered them and they grew

Only to be destroyed by a shell

hope they're not all dead

I don't want to die

do not want to die

want to live, I want to give birth want Hamza to be with me

I want all those things don't want to die, I want to live

Please God

Please God. don't let anything happen

I can handle everything else



Please God

Everyone who stayed in the city had to deal with the same fear, Sama

Wow, it looks delicious

Afraa and her husband Salem have three children

Wisam, Zain and Naya

The family were our best friends

We've arrived, get down

Get down Naya, it's my tum

Children take after their parents

and we're optimistic

They don't care if there's a siege they don't even know what a siege is

Hello

How are you?

I'm ok

Do you want to leave Aleppo?

They said there'll be an invasion

but I want to stay

What if your parents want to leave?

Ili stay on my own

On your own where?

'm just staying

Where are you going to stay?

don't know

What about your parents are they leaving or staying?

don't know

Why are you crying?

Come on

Don't cry

We won't make you leave I promise

No one's leaving, come on

He's upset because his friend didn't show up today He fled with his family

Evén the children don't want to leave so how can we go?

I respected this family so much

They were trying to be brave in the face of an impossible choice

To leave the city would set the worst example to the children

That it's better to be selfish to run and savé yourself

What do you want to be when you grow up?

I want to be an architect so I can rebuild Aleppo

But to stay meant putting them through hell

Auntie Waad

Yes

What are you doing?

filming you

didn't know what we'd do when you were born

Listen, I am going to the hospital very soon

'm giving birth today

Are you serious?!

How do you feel?

will bring you a monkey just like me

We went to the hospital your father set up

She looks just like Waad

When I saw you...

I remembered all we had suffered all the people we lost

Yet you gave me hope to start anew

Don't make her cry

Enough already!

Tonight, after the daily bombing

A friend brings you down to us

We are in the emergency room

Is he your relatíve?

My nephew

You were at home asleep?

Where's his parents?

His parents?

Killed, I think

haté to admit it

but I envy this boy's mother

At least she died before she had to bury her child

In the quiet that follows a massacre

When I feel I'm suffocating

take you out of the hospital and bring my camera along

just need to see people alive

To try and live a normál life in this piacé to stand against the régimé

If the king dies, the game's over

If Bashar Ássad dies, the war's over

That bastard has a long neck a sure sign of long life

He's a bloody giraffe

Today. Salem organised a party for you and all the other kids

We’re a team, one bucket and brush between two

Paint all round the bus, make your part beautiful

Cool

We try to give you what childhood we can

Paint, paint

Paint, Sama!

Good

Naya, how did this bus bum?

It was bombed

Do you know what hit this bus?

Acluster bomb

Driver, we made it to school

Yes we've arrived

Get off

Children still go to school

Afraa runs one of them

We’re under siege emergency conditions

The students will be hungry

You can't solve an equation on an empty stomach

Classrooms have to be in the basement to protect írom bombing

But under siege there's no way we can keep you all safe

But under siege there's no way we can keep you all safe

There's been a strike

A second airstrike is coming!

Don't gather together!

Disperse!

Please God. please God

jjjuu v

Go inside!

Get inside!

They bring a woman to the hospital

She's nine months pregnant

It's cut very deep

Yes. it might have hit the artery

They have to do an emergency caesarean

Does he have a pulse?

Nothing

Oh God

God be praised

He cried?

That's it! Cry!

They're both ok

It's a miracle

It gives us the strength to stay in the struggle

Just like you Sama

Oh God

My happiness would vanish every time I heard Russian warplanes

They unleashed a blitz on Aleppo

to savé the régimé

One night we were away from the hospital

Suddenly our hones went crazy

The hospital has been bombed

The hospital's been bombed!

There's dead, there's injured

Please can anyone give me details? What's the situation?

Doctor, Ismail the maintenance guy's been killed

The Russians killed 53 people

Dr Waseem was one of them

The one who checked your first vitai signs, Sama

Targeting hospitals breaks people's spirits

The airstrike had damaged our hospital beyond repair

In Aleppo there is no time to grieve

By a miracle. Hamza found a building designed to be a hospital

The architect said that the walls are quite strong The weak points are the windows

It was not on any map

So the Russians and the régimé wouldn't know where to bomb

In July. we went to Turkey to see your grandfather who was ill

Suddenly the régimé launched an offensive

backed by Russian air power

Within days, we heard they had almost seized the last road back to Aleppo

In one glancé, I knew Hamza was thinking

Here we go, in the name of God

No-one understood

Hamza's parents said, "It's too dangerous at least leave Sama behind"

Russian planes

are heading to the northern region

With our heads, we knew they were right

But in our hearts. we felt we had to go back and bring you with us

We didn't know why

The truth is I can't believe we did it even now

Let’s go lads

s this it bro?

Yes, we’re here

Three friends írom the hospital came with us

Oh God

The only way back was a narrow path through the frontlines

Stay back here for a moment

We’ll walk ahead of you to scout

Dr Hamza why are you going in today?

We’re going to Aleppo

because we're five years into this struggle

since the days of peaceful protests

Every single one of us

has a huge role

supporting justice against oppression

Evén this one

has a role in deciding the outcome

Where to now?

Walk. straight ahead

’m right here

- Ifyou heara shell, take to the ground immediately - Sure

s she okay?

Follow them

coming. I'm coming

We’re pást the...

What’s wrong. sweetheart? Why, love?

Sama! Sama!

Almost there, Sama Almost there, love

No-one knew how close the régimé soldiers were

Sama. Sama!

These little chicks

They're very pretty

Happily wandering around their mum

They drank their water

They said "Ah!"

They happily thanked God

Aleppo!

Somehow we made it

Glad you’re safe, Doctor!

Where’s that girl?

People seemed happier to see you than us, Sama

Waad! How do you feel?

’m relieved! I can die happy now

It was as if you were the daughter of the whole hospital

It was our destiny all to be here together

Happy siege!

We are the besieged!

was asleep and I felt something 

I was like, "Has someone spilled their tea or coffee on me?"

"Could it be my husband treating me to coffee in bed?"

I realised that when my daughter got scared of the airstrike

she got in bed and peed on me

What a poetic morning

think this lousy morning was a we were getting besieged

People are burning tyres so the Russians can't see where to bomb

Hail Aleppo of the uprising!

Shake the President's palace!

Supplies are running low

There's no vegetables or fruit

It's hard to find nappies and milk for you

The siege is no piacé to raise a child

Come darling, l'll teli you a story

Daddy, teli me the story of the boy whose house was broken

The little boy? Ok

The boy was having dinner with his brothers and sisters

and his mum and dad

While they were eating, he went to the balcony

As he stood there an airplane came

and fired a rockét

Where did it land?

On his house

The neighbours died

his parents died

The ambulance came

to help him

and pulled him out of the rubble

So what do you do when you hear a warplane?

How're you?

alright

What are you cooking today?

It's all I have

In the end we have to eat

but I won't mention it to the children or their father so they don't get upset

It would put them off and they wouldn't eat They're not used to food like this

What are these?

My friends who have left

How's the siege affecting you?

cool but we miss our friends they're all gone

Somé people stayed

but they're getting killed one after another

They get trapped under rubble or hit by a rockét

or they die

What would you like to say to your friends who lett?

May God forgive you for leaving me here alone

Come here

I've got a surprise tor you you'll never believe it!

Come into the light

not a tomato, I promise

A persimmon fruit!

How did you get it?

For you and Waad

You have to wait till it's ripe There's only one tree unfortunately

Will it ripen by itself?

It's like I got her a rose or something

I was teliing him "Let the siege end so I can eat persimmons"

- There's no need for the siege to be over now! - No, not now I have a persimmon

I feel sick

I think it is the stress of the siege

pregnant again

My God

can hardly find healthy food for myself or for you Sama

I don't know if your sister or brother will ever open their eyes

The Russians destroyed eight of hospitals in east Aleppo

We're the last one leit

Oh no, his hand

Take them further inside

He's had it

He's alive boys, he's alive!

He's alive, he's alive

There are almost 300 patients each day

Bring serums

Your Dad is in charge of it all

Evén the water is cut off

keep filming, trying to capture it all

Are you filming?

Why are they doing this to us?

Film this

It's mummy, l've got your milk!

Wake up Alaa, I bég you!

Contain yourself!

bég you Alaa, please!

I told you to cover hím

Alaa, wake up!

I'm not sure I can handle it

Off you go

the first time in four days your father and I have been together

Either he's in the emergency room or l'm out filming

We've no time even for you

No time to feel anything

Yes?

You want to film us?

Régimé forces are advancing into the rebel area

Somé people are so desperate they're trying to escape to the régimé side

The régimé is trying to kill them all

A whole family. around ten dead

Let's go, there's more casualties

Make way

Get him downstairs He's got shrapnel in his head

want my Daddy, I want my Daddy

What happened to you?

don't know. It came down and our hands were hit

Were you all leaving together?

Yes, all the family

And then everybody died

Oh God, please!

Oh God. please!

Stop it, she's dead

Leave her

There's no pulse, she's dead

Where have you gone my daughter?

We only tried to escape for you Only for you

We never made it, we never made it out

Evén when I close my eyes

I see the colour red

Blood, everywhere

On walls, floors, ourclothes

Sometimes we cry blood

The régimé forces are capturing one neighbourhood after another

They're squeezing us into a small pocket

just a few kilometres square

Oh God

My daughter's in there

Mohamad!

He's asleep

Asleep? You saw him?

gave hirn Sama

They will hit us again

Show me where it hit

Wait, wait!

Leave it where it is

Why would you try to move it?

It's very hot

Let's warm ourselves on it

Look

We're warming ourselves up

The President may be shelling but it's still cold

Another one! Run!

Seriously, I saw one coming

Shall we go down?

What do you think?

Do you think we should go down?

Do you think we should go down?

Let's go

Sama I know you understand what's happening

I can see it in your eyes

You never cry like a normál baby would

That's what breaks my heart

They're even using chlorine gas on us

We're crying out to the world

Help us

Your Dad talks to news channels all the time

Of course, the situation is very scary

The neighbourhoods of Aleppo are hit with all sorts of weapons

Bombs, cluster bombs. even chlorine gas barrel bombs and airstrikes

It's terrifying and yet we see the international community...

Yet you keep on working and sending these messages to the world

Thanks a lot Dr Hamza al-Kateab speaking by Skype from Aleppo

Thanks a lot Dr Hamza al-Kateab speaking by Skype írom Aleppo

Millions of people watch my reports

But no-one does anything to stop the régimé

We only have each other

The other day, someone called it

"The daily bombardment soap opera"

Featuring all your favourite bombs

Missiles. shells, bullets or anything the President can think of

This is the safest room in the house for what that's worth

Do they get scared?

Yes

Especially Naya

Listen, did you hear the missile?

Yeah, one here. Another there

What does it sound like?

It has teeth this big

We spend the night listening to missiles landing here and there

we're both on edge

We used to read a book together

or listen to beautiful old songs

That was beíore the revolution! Now I don't have to do that. thank God

Just yesterday you sang for me!

Sing!

Give me a second

This is it

The régimé forces are only one Street away

Your father holds me

He says, "Look into my eyes"

"We're not going to make it"

"Abandon Sama"

"She has a better chance of surviving if they don't know we’re her parents"

can't do it Sama

Your only crime is that your Mum's a journalist and your Dad's a doctor

Now I wish I hadn't given birth to you

wish l'd never met Hamza

wish l'd never left home

Hello?

You can hear me ok?

Ok, God willing

I want to speak to someone in charge we don't have much time

We hear from the Russians that time is tight

The UN called Hamza

with a message from the Russians

Surrender and we'll spare your lives

But you must go into exile

It's the Russians' plán

Up until now, they've been bombing and killing us

Then they say, "This is your only option"

We have no choice

No-one can believe it's over

So can we make it to the end of negotiations or are they just stalling until they finish us?

They're stalling of course

You don't really trust the Russians do you?

We must hold on tor a couple of days On one frontline at least

People are fed up with holding on

They'll say, stop being so unrealistic we have no electricity or food

We know this is our only chance to survive

To protect you, Sama and all the children

But it also means all our sacrifices were tor nothing

Our future is no longer in our hands

Aleppo is gone

Everyone's packing for their exile

Saying goodbye is worse than death

'We will return'

The wounded and their families must go first

leave you asleep at the hospital

want to capture this moment

May God make this journey go safely

God willing

Let it be good for all of us

Slow down so I can close the door they're getting cold

We're getting close to the frontline

They're shooting at the ambulances

We have to go back

The sniper went absolutely crazy

You should've seen the children running away írom the ambulance

The same children you were just talking to

We were trying to get them away

We all nearly died

The régimé can't be trusted but there's only one way out

The buses are here now to take everyone away

We're going to stay until the end

to make sure all the wounded get out ok

This is the last time i'ii see the hospital

Your whole world for the first year of your life

There's just time for a nurse to check the baby

Thank God. she seems fine

How do you feel now that you're being forced to leave this piace?

jIn this hospital over 20 days

we performed 890 operations

and we received more than 6000 wounded people

This is not about the piacé places are about their people

like the hospital...

The silence makes you feel the city is dead

Sama, will you remember Aleppo?

Will you blame me for staying here?

Or blame me for leaving now?

It's been eight days

Now it's our turn

We will return, I promise you

This is really it

We will return, we will

stopped feeling anything

We've been waiting more than 50 hours

No-one knows why

But we're keeping each other warm

Then the order comes through

No-one knows my face

But your Dad's been all over the news

Hamza. are you scared of régimé checkpoints?

Yes, of course

Anything can happen

They might have a list of names

of certain people that must not leave

My heart is beating really fást

Hamza!

We made it!

’m glad you're safe!

’m glad you're safe!

You too!

Thanks to God!

Here's Mummy!

We made it you silly thing

Get in

We made it Sama

I can't think about all that's happened right now

Only thank God we're alive

thought we lost everything when we lost Aleppo

But we did not

We have Taima now

I can smell Aleppo on her skin

have my footage too

The people I filmed will never leave me

If I could rewind the days I would do exactly the same

Evén if I never recover from the trauma

I don't regret anything

I can't wait for you to grow up Sama to teli me how you feel

I want you to know that we fought for the most important cause of all

So that you and all our children would not have to live as we lived

Everything we did was for you

It was all for you Sama