Birds of War
Lebanese journalist Janay Boulos and Syrian activist and cameraman Abd Alkader Habak share their extraordinary love story, told through 13 years of personal archives spanning revolutions, war, and exile.
Director Janay Boulos scheduled to attend.
Tickets
Select showtime for pricing and tickets.
Friday, May 8, 2026
- Limited Availability
- On Standby
- Matinee
Saturday, May 9, 2026
- Limited Availability
- On Standby
- Matinee
When the Syrian civil war began in March 2011 as part of the broader Arab Spring movement, Lebanese journalist Janay Boulos was working in London, as a producer for the BBC. With reporters banned from entering Aleppo, Boulos began looking for a source on the ground to report on what was happening. After she was connected with Syrian activist and cameraman Abd Alkader Habak, he became one of her key sources. As they exchange messages and voice notes between London and Aleppo, gradually sharing more about their lives, their relationship evolves from that of professional colleagues to something more. Through the fall of Aleppo, the 17 October Revolution in Lebanon, the economic collapse of that country, and the eventual ouster of Bashar al-Assad from Syria, they negotiate their responsibilities to their countries, their work, and each other. The result is an extraordinary love story told through 13 years of personal archives spanning revolutions, war, and exile.
Birds of War premiered at Sundance Film Festival 2026 where it won the Special Jury Award for Journalistic Impact.
—Justine Barda
- Director: Janay Boulos, Abd Alkader Habak
- Country: United Kingdom, Syria, Lebanon
- Year: 2026
- Running Time: 85 min.
- Producer: Sonja Henrici, Janay Boulos, Abd Alkader Habak
- Screenplay: Janay Boulos, Abd Alkader Habak
- Cinematographers: Janay Boulos, Abd Alkader Habak
- Editors: Will Hewitt
- Music: Harpal Mudhar, Darren Sng
- Awards: Sundance Film Festival 2026 (World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Journalistic Impact), Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival 2026 (International Competition: Silver Alexander, FIPRESCI Critics Prize, Human Rights in Motion Award, Women in Film & Television Greece Award)
- Filmography: Debut Feature Film
- Language: Arabic, English
- Has Subtitles: Yes
- International Sales: Dogwoof