"American Doctor" with Poh Si Teng

“American Doctor, the searing new documentary by director Poh Si Teng (“St. Louis Superman”) about three American doctors who travel to Gaza to treat Palestinian victims of Israeli airstrikes, is bracing, in-your-face and graphic. In fact, in an early scene, one of the film’s main participants, Dr. Mark Perlmutter, insists that Poh show even the most gruesome images of Palestinian children killed by the bombs: “(American) taxpayers have the right to know the truth.” Poh relents and directs her cameraman to film the photographs.

 

Poh joins Ken on the pod to talk about that extraordinary moment and to shed light on the relationships and events at the center of her extraordinary film. For all the film’s urgency, however, Poh herself can reflect on her creative journey with humor, as well as pathos. For example, she recalls that when she first met the three physicians, she thought, “It’s almost like, ‘Three doctors walk into a bar.’ One is Palestinian Muslim... one is Jewish American, and one is Zoroastrian Parsi.” Perhaps it is a throwaway line, but upon further reflection, it is emblematic of the esprit de corps that unites these doctors and keeps them coming back to Gaza. That, and those gruesome images they can’t get out of their heads — and which audiences won’t be able to either.

 

“American Doctor” is being released theatrically by Watermelon Pictures.

 

Hidden Gems:

“Who Killed Olex Odeh?”

“Landscapes of Memory”

 

The Presenting Sponsor of "Top Docs" is Netflix.

 

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