'American Doctor' review: Gaza from a medical perspective
The documentary 'American Doctor' follows three U.S.-based physicians who volunteer in Gaza, documenting the medical crisis and the human toll of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The film explores the challenges these doctors face in providing care and sharing their experiences with the Western public.
Why it matters
The film provides a medical perspective on a highly polarized geopolitical conflict, highlighting the humanitarian crisis.
Most documentaries urge you to not turn away from the horrors they chronicle, but few make that request as explicitly as “American Doctor.” Near the start of her despondent film, director Poh Si Teng spends time with Mark Perlmutter, a North Carolina surgeon who, like Teng’s other subjects, volunteers in Gaza, treating the many who have been severely injured in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Furious at the attacks on innocent Palestinian children, Perlmutter shows Teng photos of dead bodies. She says she may need to blur them for the movie. Perlmutter becomes indignant: “You’re not doing them a service by not showing them,” he says.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in