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Waad Al-Kateab
UK 2024 84'
⚬ Current Affairs & Politics ⚬ Human Rights
From Academy Award-nominated director Waad Al-Kateab, Death Without Mercy provides an intimate, on-the-ground view of the 2023 Turkey-Syria earthquake, weaving together personal stories of grief, resilience, pain, and hope in the face of both natural disaster and manmade tragedy.
Using TV news reports, social media, CCTV, drone footage and archived material, DEATH WITHOUT MERCY captures the destruction caused to Turkish and Syrian communities after the 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit the region in the early hours of 6th February 2023.
The documentary is shown from the perspective of two Syrian families in the days following the disaster. At first, we hear from Fuad, who is making his way back from a business trip only to discover his home is destroyed and his wife, Safa, and their two sons are trapped under the rubble. Meanwhile, Fadi is desperately trying to get from Syria to Türkiye after hearing his family home has collapsed with all his loved ones inside.
Waad al-Kateab’s powerful documentary also uncovers how government incompetence, corruption and a lack of humanitarian aid exacerbated the destruction and led to the unnecessary deaths of many.
"a film driven by responsibility more than hope." - The Guardian
"brings home the reality of what happened for viewers who either never realized or simply forgot." - Deadline
Director | Waad Al- Kateab |
Producers | Lawrence Elman, Hasan Kattan, Ben de Pear, Sophie Daniel |
Executive Producers | Sheila Nevins |
Production Company | Docsville Studios, Basement Films |
Co-Production Company | MTV Documentary Films, AMC Media Production |
Cinematography | Fadi Alhalabi |
Editor | Agnieszka Liggett |
Music | Taul Katz |
Sound | Paul Zanders, Nick Clapham |
| Sheffield Doc Fest 2024 |
| Zurich FF 2024 |
| El Gouna Film FF 2024 |
| HUMAN IDF 2025 |
| CPH:DOX 2025 |
| Runtime | 84' |
| Spoken Languages | Turkish, Arabic, English |
| Production Countries | UK |
A Syrian filmmaker, journalist, and activist known for her powerful documentaries that capture the human toll of war and displacement. Waad Al-Kateab gained international acclaim for her documentary "For Sama," in which she documented her life in Aleppo during the Syrian uprising. The film received numerous awards, including the BAFTA for Best Documentary in 2020, and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. ""For Sama" also holds the distinction of being the most nominated documentary in BAFTA history and won the prestigious L'Œil d'Or (Golden Eye) for Best Documentary at the Cannes Film Festival, where it also received a six-minute standing ovation. Waad fled Aleppo in December 2016 and is now a refugee in London with her husband, Dr. Hamza Al-Kateab, and their two daughters. In addition to her filmmaking, Waad and Hamza launched the "Action For Sama" campaign in 2019 to raise awareness about the humanitarian crisis in Syria and seek accountability for war crimes. In 2023, Waad premiered her second documentary, "We Dare to Dream," at the Tribeca Film Festival. This film tells the stories of refugee athletes competing in the Olympic Refugee Team, showcasing their resilience and hopes amidst adversity. The documentary was executive produced by Angelina Jolie and John Legend. Waad's latest documentary, "Death Without Mercy," premiered at Sheffield DocFest in 2024. The film recounts the catastrophic earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria on February 6, 2023, using a blend of footage including CCTV, drone shots, and first-person accounts. It highlights the devastating impact of the earthquake and the human failures that exacerbated the disaster. "Death Without Mercy" received critical acclaim for its harrowing portrayal of the event and its aftermath, emphasizing the themes of human dignity and systemic corruption. Her work and dedication have earned her numerous accolades, including a place in the 2020 Time 100 list of the most influential people and the Academy Gold Fellowship for Women in 2021.
