Steven Burrows witnesses the weight of war with powerful feature A State of Passion at Docs Ireland.
A State of Passion begins in conflict. In the opening seconds a quote from Ghassan Abu-Sittah, a Palestinian plastic and reconstructive surgeon, fills the screen. It details the horrors he had witnessed working in Gaza. This is immediately followed by a British promotional and informational video for a procedure he undertakes. While this introduction throttles us into dystopia, these brief moments further speak to the film's entirety: a comprehensive yet unsettling insight into a fascinating man and his terrible duty.
Directed by Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi, A State of Passion is an emotionally challenging work, born out of probably the worst crimes against humanity committed this century. The film details the recent life of Abu-Sittah, as he travels back and forth to Gaza in order to use his skillset and attempt to save lives, as well as unravelling the toll this takes on himself and his family.
The footage and audio that Mansour and Khalidi include are harrowing, and understandably they can't hold back. To navigate this distressing material, the film is simply assembled; talking heads and voice-overs are interspersed with voice messages, which allow for accessible presentation. Further, by sticking strictly to conventional modern documentary practices, there is little distracting the viewer from the most important part of the film: the information. However, the film does suffer from this formal simplicity, and this forces a cognitive distance from the sheer weight of Ghassan's commitments and the footage out of Gaza. Even if there are still interesting and complex sequences (that opening comes to mind), the distinct nature of the work is muted.
Mansour and Khalidi don't ignore nor diminish the West's role in this genocide, and their film sets itself apart far more effectively in its attitude and research. Moreover, they commit to platforming of Abu-Sittah, who is no stranger to scrutiny and silencing from major publications and media and political figures in the UK. The film provides a clear and truthful stance on history: tracing the impact of the 1948 Nakba through the conflicts of the 2000s and 2010s, and then everything that has transpired since 2023.
A State of Passion therefore, must also be comprehensive with Abu-Sittah, and goes to great lengths to display Ghassan's inner life: his family and upbringing, personal history, and what led him here. They explore the great mental stresses that come with his ability. He is caught between his responsibilities in the UK, and his responsibilities in Palestine. He is one of very few, if any, who can practice while also possessing that cultural connection. His family's perception of him and the crimes being committed against their people makes for very provocative viewing, as does how Ghassan and his family view his duty to Palestine, and the pain they feel hundreds of miles away. Their pride and determination has been built over these decades under occupation.
While the film elicits both desperation and intrigue, what Mansour and Khalidi ultimately seek to uncover is the boundary of human endurance... and how few can push it as far as Ghassan Abu-Sittah.
A State of Passion screened at Docs Ireland on 25th June 2025.
