Rotten Tomatoes
Submit search Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

Birds of War

Play trailer Birds of War 2026 1h 25m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
95% Tomatometer 19 Reviews Popcornmeter 0 Ratings
From besieged Aleppo to the confines of a London newsroom, Lebanese journalist Janay Boulos and Syrian activist/cameraman Abd Alkader Habak retrace their love story, using their vast personal archives stretching over 13 years of revolutions, war and exile. Can their love survive distance, danger and differences?

Critics Reviews

View More
Danny Leigh Financial Times Jul 7
4/5
In just 85 minutes, the film already captures the fraught complexity of the Middle East — and the wonder of the human heart. Go to Full Review Wendy Ide Observer (UK) Jul 7
This is an exceptionally powerful film, encompassing displacement, exile, revolutions and a pair of cats named Couscous and Fashfash. Go to Full Review Peter Bradshaw Guardian Jul 6
3/5
At all events, it’s a genuine story with humanity and charm. Go to Full Review James Saynor The Arts Desk Jul 7
4/5
Since love and war are both intensely human things, the two can bed down together well. Go to Full Review Hilary A White Irish Independent Jul 7
4/5
You’d need to be made of cynical stuff not to applaud the resilience and idealism on show here. The relative simplicity of the couple’s story belies the extraordinary context in its backdrop. Go to Full Review Anna Menzies Film Ireland Magazine Jul 6
4/5
This is an eye-opening look into a terrifying reality that most of the world is privileged enough to ignore. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Cast & Crew

View All

Janay Boulos

Director

Abd Alkader Habak

Director

Janay Boulos

Self

Abd Alkader Habak

Self

Janay Boulos

Writer

Katie Bryer

Writer
View All

Birds of War

View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis From besieged Aleppo to the confines of a London newsroom, Lebanese journalist Janay Boulos and Syrian activist/cameraman Abd Alkader Habak retrace their love story, using their vast personal archives stretching over 13 years of revolutions, war and exile. Can their love survive distance, danger and differences?
Director
Janay Boulos, Abd Alkader Habak
Producer
Janay Boulos, Abd Alkader Habak, Sonja Henrici
Screenwriter
Janay Boulos, Katie Bryer, Abd Alkader Habak, Janay Boulos, Abd Alkader Habak
Production Co
Sonja Henrici Creates
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
Arabic
Runtime
1h 25m