Armed with a press vest, phone, and camera, the journalist and brand-new father Osama documents everyday devastation in Gaza. As the bombs fall and explosions light up the sky, he navigates the chaos. Filmmaker Ahmed Hassouna follows Osama closely, showing how local people survive on bread made with animal feed, and how evacuation orders force them to flee south in droves, seeking refuge by the sea—the only place that seems unchanged.
Hassouna captures Osama’s personal life, his responsibility for his newborn child, and the paralyzing fears that accompany fatherhood under the constant shadow of violence. His own parents also appear, fearing for their son’s life every day as he navigates the demands of his work as a reporter and caring for his family.
Alongside the unrelenting danger, the documentary also shows the resilience, camaraderie, and hope of the Palestinians. From the corny jokes and banter among the journalists during rare moments of calm to daydreams of eggplant with tahini, Citizen Osama is an empathetic and boisterous exploration of the drive to remain human when everything around you is falling apart.
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