August 25, 2026
FILM: AMERICAN DOCTOR
DIRECTED BY: POH SI TENG
STARRING: THAER AHMAD, MARK PERLMUTTER, FEROZE SIDHWA
RATING: 3 ½ out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
It’s the kind of film that most people won’t take the time to watch because on the surface it appears to be too disturbing. Well, that is certainly true about American Doctor. Yet, like most of the films that have been released in the last couple of years about the wars in Ukraine and Gaza (Iran stories are coming) this is an important document about a lingering major conflict that is not given near enough attention in our media. Why is that, you might ask? Because people don’t want to be bothered, because it doesn’t affect them personally, and because our socio-political lines are drawn so strongly that any meaningful dialogue is almost impossible to have in the current divided U.S. climate.
So, what does American Doctor show us? Most of the footage is from 2024 and 2025, so it features a very recent look at what has been happening in Gaza. The perspective is clear from the beginning by U.S. Dr. Mark Perlmutter who says, in support of the Palestinians in Gaza, that Israel took away their dignity. It is their right to show and tell the truth of what has happened within the region. This is followed by devastating photos and footage from Gaza, including scenes of mass destruction and streets reduced to rubble. Perlmutter, along with two other American doctors, Thaer Ahmad and Feroze Sidhwa, are the primary subjects of the film which follows their attempts to return to Gaza in March of 2025, roughly a year after their previous time there.
Each of the doctors have varying cultural backgrounds. Perlmutter is a Jewish-American. Sidhwa is of Pakistani heritage but considers himself disconnected from any religious faith. Ahmad is a family man from Chicago whose ancestry is Palestinian and is a practicing Muslim. However, all three have one goal: to save children and adults living in Gaza and provide as much medical assistance as they can during brief visits to the region.
Their work is not without risks. In one scene, we see Perlmutter talking to his female partner at home discussing the details she might need to know in case of his demise in Gaza. Sidhwa often must fight for his perspective on international television and then almost dies when hospitals are targeted again in Gaza. Because of Ahmad’s background and government red tape, he struggles with being allowed back into the region to do his work. Then there is the guilt of leaving and returning to America with a crisis still evolving.
So, yes, American Doctor is a sobering experience to say the least. What is tangible and hopeful is the dedication of these men trying to not ignore what is happening there. They are honest yet persevering men of their profession.
The downsides to the film include, of course, some of the very disturbing images of severely injured Gaza residents as well as the scenes of continued bombardment. There’s also Trump negotiating an “historical” ceasefire with Israel leader Benjamin Netanyahu which, while brief, may make viewers feel even worse than the horrifying footage from Gaza.
The timeline presented in the film is also a bit challenging. While on screen titles often tell us at what stage the footage we are about to see is dated, there are also plenty of scenes in which that placement in time is less clear such as certain Free Palestine demonstrations, media moments, and the doctors’ various visits to conferences.
None of this should distract from the film’s overall messages about the sad situation in Gaza and whether anyone should really feel like enough has been done to help its innocent people.
American Doctor is having limited screenings this week in various metropolitan areas including Chicago where there will be a screening and post-film Q&A with director Poh Si Tend and Dr. Thaer Ahmad at the Music Box Theater, screenings at the Uprising Theater, and a brief run at the Gene Siskel Center.
FILM: AMERICAN DOCTOR
DIRECTED BY: POH SI TENG
STARRING: THAER AHMAD, MARK PERLMUTTER, FEROZE SIDHWA
RATING: 3 ½ out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
It’s the kind of film that most people won’t take the time to watch because on the surface it appears to be too disturbing. Well, that is certainly true about American Doctor. Yet, like most of the films that have been released in the last couple of years about the wars in Ukraine and Gaza (Iran stories are coming) this is an important document about a lingering major conflict that is not given near enough attention in our media. Why is that, you might ask? Because people don’t want to be bothered, because it doesn’t affect them personally, and because our socio-political lines are drawn so strongly that any meaningful dialogue is almost impossible to have in the current divided U.S. climate.
So, what does American Doctor show us? Most of the footage is from 2024 and 2025, so it features a very recent look at what has been happening in Gaza. The perspective is clear from the beginning by U.S. Dr. Mark Perlmutter who says, in support of the Palestinians in Gaza, that Israel took away their dignity. It is their right to show and tell the truth of what has happened within the region. This is followed by devastating photos and footage from Gaza, including scenes of mass destruction and streets reduced to rubble. Perlmutter, along with two other American doctors, Thaer Ahmad and Feroze Sidhwa, are the primary subjects of the film which follows their attempts to return to Gaza in March of 2025, roughly a year after their previous time there.
Each of the doctors have varying cultural backgrounds. Perlmutter is a Jewish-American. Sidhwa is of Pakistani heritage but considers himself disconnected from any religious faith. Ahmad is a family man from Chicago whose ancestry is Palestinian and is a practicing Muslim. However, all three have one goal: to save children and adults living in Gaza and provide as much medical assistance as they can during brief visits to the region.
Their work is not without risks. In one scene, we see Perlmutter talking to his female partner at home discussing the details she might need to know in case of his demise in Gaza. Sidhwa often must fight for his perspective on international television and then almost dies when hospitals are targeted again in Gaza. Because of Ahmad’s background and government red tape, he struggles with being allowed back into the region to do his work. Then there is the guilt of leaving and returning to America with a crisis still evolving.
So, yes, American Doctor is a sobering experience to say the least. What is tangible and hopeful is the dedication of these men trying to not ignore what is happening there. They are honest yet persevering men of their profession.
The downsides to the film include, of course, some of the very disturbing images of severely injured Gaza residents as well as the scenes of continued bombardment. There’s also Trump negotiating an “historical” ceasefire with Israel leader Benjamin Netanyahu which, while brief, may make viewers feel even worse than the horrifying footage from Gaza.
The timeline presented in the film is also a bit challenging. While on screen titles often tell us at what stage the footage we are about to see is dated, there are also plenty of scenes in which that placement in time is less clear such as certain Free Palestine demonstrations, media moments, and the doctors’ various visits to conferences.
None of this should distract from the film’s overall messages about the sad situation in Gaza and whether anyone should really feel like enough has been done to help its innocent people.
American Doctor is having limited screenings this week in various metropolitan areas including Chicago where there will be a screening and post-film Q&A with director Poh Si Tend and Dr. Thaer Ahmad at the Music Box Theater, screenings at the Uprising Theater, and a brief run at the Gene Siskel Center.