American Doctor, a 93-minute documentary directed by Poh Si Teng, premiered at the Sundance film festival and is currently in wide release across US cinemas. The film was co-produced by Kirstine Barfod and Reem Haddad and follows three volunteer physicians from different cultural and religious backgrounds working within Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure.
The three doctors featured are Thaer Ahmad, a Palestinian-American emergency physician; Mark Perlmutter, a Jewish orthopedic surgeon from North Carolina; and Feroze Sidhwa, a Zoroastrian trauma surgeon based in California. The documentary documents their work on the frontlines of Gaza’s hospital system, then tracks their return to the United States where they advocate for policy changes in Congress regarding continued military aid to Israel.
Teng, a Malaysian-American filmmaker with extensive prior experience as a producer and editor for major media organizations, conceived the project in fall 2024. She drew inspiration from popular medical dramas and sought to use the professional credibility of physicians as a means to communicate directly to American audiences and policymakers. Teng was motivated to leave her position in order to pursue the documentary, viewing it as essential given what she characterizes as widespread silence on the subject within Western media and political circles.
The film presents the perspectives and experiences of its three subjects as they navigate their volunteer work and subsequent advocacy efforts. Perlmutter is portrayed as an emotionally direct voice, Ahmad as a measured strategic presence, and Sidhwa as an analytical observer. Sidhwa has since encountered difficulties with entry into Gaza, becoming part of legal proceedings challenging systematic restrictions on healthcare workers, according to the report.
The documentary depicts extensive destruction across Gaza’s civilian and medical infrastructure, including widespread devastation to hospitals and healthcare facilities. According to the physicians featured, the scale of damage reflects the intensity of military operations in the densely populated territory.
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