Academy Award-nominated documentary “Hunger Ward” paints an intimate portrait of the children in Yemen suffering from starvation and malnourishment as a result of war-induced famine. The United Nations World Food Programme estimates about 400,000 could die this year without urgent intervention, which is what director Skye Fitzerald hopes to catalyze with the film.
Overcoming a de facto embargo on journalists and working through an eight-and-a-half month-long process of obtaining visas, Fitzgerald and his team shot nonstop with two cameras for 30 days to capture the harrowing reality in Yemen’s therapeutic feeding centers. With Dr. Aida Alsadeeq and nurse Mekkia Mahdi ready for someone to finally hear their stories, Fitzgerald felt compelled to do his part in pushing for an end to Saudi Arabia’s blockade. The issue’s growing momentum inspired call-to-action letters from a coalition of celebrities, advocates and a bipartisan group of House lawmakers. Fitzgerald sat down with Variety...
Overcoming a de facto embargo on journalists and working through an eight-and-a-half month-long process of obtaining visas, Fitzgerald and his team shot nonstop with two cameras for 30 days to capture the harrowing reality in Yemen’s therapeutic feeding centers. With Dr. Aida Alsadeeq and nurse Mekkia Mahdi ready for someone to finally hear their stories, Fitzgerald felt compelled to do his part in pushing for an end to Saudi Arabia’s blockade. The issue’s growing momentum inspired call-to-action letters from a coalition of celebrities, advocates and a bipartisan group of House lawmakers. Fitzgerald sat down with Variety...
- 4/15/2021
- by Haley Bosselman
- Variety Film + TV
“It became even more important to do a direct look at death and grief and loss,” declares Skye Fitzgerald, the director the documentary “Hunger Ward.” The film about the deadly impacts of civil war has been nominated for Best Documentary Short at this year’s Oscars. MTV Documentary Films recently acquired “Hunger Ward,” which is now streaming on Paramount+. Watch our exclusive video interview with Fitzgerald above.
“Hunger Ward” is the third in a trilogy of films about refugees and displaced peoples, following 2015’s “50 Feet from Syria” and 2018’s “Lifeboat,” which earned an Oscar nomination for Best Documentary Short. “Hunger Ward” focuses on the widespread famine and starvation in Yemen caused by the ongoing civil war. Much of the film follows Dr. Aida Al-Sadeeq and nurse Mekkia Mahdi as they treat children dying of starvation and malnutrition.
SEE2021 Oscar nominations: Full list of nominees in all 23 categories at the 93rd...
“Hunger Ward” is the third in a trilogy of films about refugees and displaced peoples, following 2015’s “50 Feet from Syria” and 2018’s “Lifeboat,” which earned an Oscar nomination for Best Documentary Short. “Hunger Ward” focuses on the widespread famine and starvation in Yemen caused by the ongoing civil war. Much of the film follows Dr. Aida Al-Sadeeq and nurse Mekkia Mahdi as they treat children dying of starvation and malnutrition.
SEE2021 Oscar nominations: Full list of nominees in all 23 categories at the 93rd...
- 4/2/2021
- by Tony Ruiz
- Gold Derby
At the time of writing, around 100,000 people have been killed in the ongoing conflict in Yemen. 24 million are in urgent need of assistance, yet media coverage of the civilian crisis has been sparse. Part of the reason for this is the danger faced by journalists operating in the country. Skye Fitzgerald's Oscar-nominated short represents real personal courage, and illustrates the courage of those who have nowhere else to go but are willing to look their situation full in the face every day.
It hinges on two interviews. The first is with Aida Alsadeeq, a doctor in one of the country's principal therapeutic feeding centres. The other is with Mekkia Mahdi, a nurse doing similar work. Both women face desperation on a daily basis and sometimes become targets of abuse for the distraught families of their young patients, who have nobody else available to blame for a situation that is.
It hinges on two interviews. The first is with Aida Alsadeeq, a doctor in one of the country's principal therapeutic feeding centres. The other is with Mekkia Mahdi, a nurse doing similar work. Both women face desperation on a daily basis and sometimes become targets of abuse for the distraught families of their young patients, who have nobody else available to blame for a situation that is.
- 2/20/2021
- by Jennie Kermode
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
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