Birds of War Insights

Lebanese journalist Janay Boulos is working for the BBC in London when the Syrian Civil War breaks out. With reporters prohibited from entering Aleppo, she searches for someone who can provide an on-the-ground look at what was happening in the city — a search that leads her to Syrian activist Abd Alkader Habak, a cameraman filming from the frontlines. At first, their messages are practical: footage, updates, proof. Then the calls get longer.

Told through 13 years of phone videos, voice notes, texts, and news footage, Birds of War documents the love story of co-directors Boulos and Habak as their connection deepens and the urgency of their communications intensifies: Boulos waits in London, checking for signs that Habak is safe; Habak continues filming as the world around him breaks apart. A single message becomes proof of life. A missed call sparks fear. Winner of Sundance’s Special Jury Award for Journalistic Impact, Birds of War is the story of a relationship where every scrap of correspondence carries weight.

Special Jury Award for Journalistic Impact: World Cinema Documentary Competition, Sundance 2026; FIPRESCI Award for Best Feature Documentary, Thessaloniki 2026; Audience Ward: Grand Angle, Visions du Réel 2026

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