Full Breakdown
“American Doctor” Shines Light on U.S. Physicians Treating Gaza Children
8/19/2026, 12:15:39 AM
Documentary Overview and Screenings
Watermelon Pictures launched the documentary feature *American Doctor* with a premiere at the Angelika in New York City, reporting a cumulative box-office total of $41.1 k. The film will expand to two additional screenings this week: a Sunday 1 p.m. showing in Los Angeles and a Wednesday 6:30 p.m. showing in Chicago. Watermelon is offering complimentary tickets to doctors, nurses, physician assistants, EMTs and medical students who register through its online form.
Production Details and Creative Team
*American Doctor* is produced by Tiny Boxer Films. The documentary’s director and producer is Poh Si Teng, joined by Oscar-nominee Kirstine Barfod (known for *The Cave*) and Reem Haddad. Editing is handled by Christopher White and Oscar-nominee Ema Ryan Yamazaki (credited for *Black Box Diaries* and *Instruments of a Beating Heart*). Co-producers include Mohammed Sawwaf and Kasper Lykke Schultz, while executive producers comprise Simon Kilmurry, Hamza Ali, Glennon Doyle, Rasha Mansouri, Hassan Elmasry, Rami Elghandour, Andreas Dalsgaard, Mehdi Hasan, Juan Pablo Raymond and Kiran Alvi. Suad Bushnaq composed the original score, and Suvo Sur performed the original song “Astral Light,” which also features vocals by Poh Si Teng.
Content Focus and Humanitarian Context
The documentary follows three U.S. physicians who volunteered to perform emergency surgeries on Palestinian children severely wounded by shelling, bombing and other attacks attributed to the Israel Defense Forces. The film portrays the medical teams’ efforts to save lives amid ongoing conflict, emphasizing the risks they assumed while operating in Gaza’s war-torn environment.
Reception and Awards
*American Doctor* earned the Tom Rankin Audience Award at the Full Frame Festival in Durham, North Carolina, as well as both the audience award and the Michael Sullivan Frontline Award for Journalism at the Salem Film Fest in Massachusetts. Additional honors were received at the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival in Greece and at CPH: DOX in Copenhagen. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, where director Poh Si Teng and the featured physicians participated in a Deadline Studio interview.
Access for Healthcare Professionals
To broaden the documentary’s impact within the medical community, Watermelon Pictures is providing free tickets to eligible healthcare workers for the Los Angeles and Chicago screenings. Interested professionals can apply via the organization’s registration portal, enabling them to view the film and engage with its portrayal of frontline medical care in a conflict zone.
