A love story born from conflict
Politics takes a backseat in the documentary 'Birds of War', which focuses on the romantic relationship between London-based BBC Arabic service journalist Janay Boulos and Syrian activist and photojournalist Abd Alkader Habak. The film, directed by Habak himself, chronicles how Boulos fell in love from afar in 2016 with Habak, who risked his life under the Assad regime to provide her with dramatic footage from Idlib and later Aleppo.
From war zones to wedding bells
Habak gained international attention in 2017 when he was photographed carrying an injured child to safety. The documentary intersperses his harrowing images with Boulos's smartphone footage of her at BBC Broadcasting House and home videos from her childhood in Byblos, Lebanon. Their tender texts and voice notes reveal a growing relationship, with the couple affectionately calling each other 'bird' and 'little bird'. Eventually, Habak escaped Syria to Turkey, and the couple married and moved to London, where they participated in pro-Palestinian marches.
Mixed emotions and cinematic choices
Habak expresses mixed feelings about watching Syria's final liberation on television, while Boulos visits her parents in Lebanon, where Israeli activities are condemned but Hezbollah is not mentioned. The film includes some contrived scenes, such as when Boulos and Habak are framed separately, clearly setting up the shots themselves. Later, when they hug and speak emotionally, the camera appears to have been pre-set on a tripod. Key moments, like revealing their marriage to their parents, are not captured. Despite these elements, the story remains genuine, full of humanity and charm.
'Birds of War' is in cinemas from 3 July.
