ABOUT THE FILM
KHSARA
KHSARA is a documentary short that shines a spotlight on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the heroic efforts of the medical workers providing humanitarian aid. Produced by Red Branch Productions, partnering with MedGlobal, the documentary captures the crisis and relief efforts in Gaza via raw, poignant, and powerful moments through the eyes of MedGlobal’s medical teams. Khsara brings the horrors and realities of medical humanitarian work into the public eye, leveraging authentic, in-the-moment footage captured by those who experience it firsthand.
RECIPIENT OF
watch the documentary
KHSARA
Watch KHSARA for a glimpse into the soul-wrenching realities of medical humanitarian work via authentic, on-the-ground footage captured by those who experience it firsthand.
Screenings/where to watch
Friday August 2nd, 2024 6:30pm Northwestern University Simpson Querrey Auditorium
ABOUT THE DOCTORS
DR. Tammy Abughnaim
Tammy Abughnaim is a board certified emergency medicine physician in Illinois. Her work focuses on caring for patients in low-resource settings, ultrasound training for emergency physicians, and integrating social justice into emergency departments.
Dr. John Kahler, MD, FAAP
Red Cross Disaster Services Hero Award Winner, Regional Director MedGlobal – Latin America Dr. Kahler is a general pediatrician who was Chief Medical Officer for a municipal Federally Qualified Health Center in Joliet, Il until his retirement in January 2017.
Dr. Thaer Ahmad
ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS
Dean Bushala
Dean is known within the industry for creating entertaining and inspiring pieces as well as implementing new technologies and developing the skills of his crew. Dean believes each project is an opportunity for all to achieve their personal best, using his wealth of knowledge, experience and expertise to benefit the next generation of creators, editors and storytellers.
Dean’s documentary films and commercial work have taken him to some of the world’s most remote locations, from several hundred miles out onto the frozen arctic sea, to floating down the Amazon on a man-made raft, to 60 feet underwater filming sharks off the coastal reef of Belize. When Dean isn’t working in television he works with many international NGOs in some of the world’s worst natural disasters with Doctors Without Borders, MedGlobal, WorldVision and Save the Children.
Jameeleh Shelo
Jameeleh Shelo is a native Chicagoan and proud Southsider. She is an Emmy award-winning writer, producer, and performer. She attended Columbia College (Chicago) where she earned a B.A. in Television Writing and Production.
Jameeleh is very lucky to have interned and worked for some very interesting people in her career. She interned at Late Night with Conan O’Brien and worked for Stephen Colbert, Lisa Lampanelli and Cedric the Entertainer. In addition to that, she has produced for TBS, Comedy Central, HGTV and DIY Network, Harpo, TLC.
Jameeleh is the former Executive Director of the Chicago Palestine Film Festival and author of “Laith the Lion Goes to Palestine”, and “Sayf’s Eid Adventure”. She is also the CEO and founder of Decentralized Casting LLC (DeCast ™). She believes that all people have a right to share their narrative in any media they see fit.
Filmmaking Process
Red Branch Productions approaches every project with the singular goal of telling the most compelling and authentic story. Whether arming subjects with their own cameras to capture uncensored moments or working with new technologies to reach previously inaccessible places, the focus is always on furthering the story and tapping into the audience’s emotions. This approach has resulted in acclaimed projects for industry giants like Disney+, National Geographic, History Channel, Discovery Channel, MTV, and PBS.
Red Branch Productions brings stories to life in a unique, real, and deeply personal way. Whether installing wire cams to offer viewers a unique perspective, designing custom camera housings to explore animal habitats, or equipping subjects with personal cameras to empower them to tell their stories in their own voices, the goal is always authenticity.
For “Khsara,” we’ve equipped doctors with compact cameras, allowing them to document their experiences—their thoughts, connections, and tears—while performing critical life-saving work in conflict zones. This immersive approach gives the film an authentic voice, capturing raw, unfiltered moments that might otherwise remain unseen. “Khsara” shows the world through the eyes of those who dare to make a difference.
Gallery
Khsara: A Glimpse into Gaza
Credits
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS DEAN BUSHALA, JAMEELEH SHELO
PRODUCER YASSER SAID
LINE PRODUCER AMY MURPHY
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY DEAN BUSHALA
STILL PHOTOGRAPHY MOTAZ AZAIZA, ABDEL KAREEM HANA
EDITOR DEAN BUSHALA
MUSIC COMPOSED CRAIG J. SNIDER
PRODUCTION MANAGER KYLE KINZIE
GRAPHICS MATTHEW FELONI, VINCENT WASSELUK
A RED BRANCH PRODUCTIONS FILM
Khsara Press
Press Kit (coming soon)
IMDB
Dr. Ahmad’s Interview (coming soon)
Dr. Kahler’s Interview (coming soon)
Fractured: Humanitarian Medical Aide Under Fire
Support the Mission – Help Bring FRACTURED to the World
Doctors are not targets. Hospitals are not battlegrounds. Medicine is not a crime.
Yet, in conflict zones across the world, medical workers are being systematically attacked simply for doing their jobs. 2024 is now the deadliest year on record for humanitarian workers, with over 1,151 medical personnel killed—and counting.
We refuse to let these stories be erased. That’s why we are expanding on our Emmy-nominated documentary, KHSARA, to bring you FRACTURED: Humanitarian Medical Aide Under Fire—a powerful feature-length film exposing the war on medicine and amplifying the voices of frontline doctors risking everything to save lives.
Why Your Support Matters
This film is being made because we believe the world needs to see the truth. Every person working on FRACTURED has done so for free—out of conviction, out of urgency, out of the belief that these stories deserve to be told.
But to complete this film and bring it to a global audience, we need your help.
Your Donation Helps Us:
Ensure these frontline stories reach the world—where mainstream media too often fails.
Hold perpetrators accountable for the deliberate targeting of medical personnel. Honor the bravery of doctors and humanitarian workers who risk everything to heal others.
Fight back against censorship and attempts to silence the suffering of those on the ground.
Stand With Us – Donate Today
Every dollar gets us closer to ensuring these stories are not just seen but acted upon. Whether you can give $25, $250, or $2,500, your support makes a direct impact in amplifying the voices of those who are too often ignored.
Join us. Share this mission. Help us tell the world: DOCTORS ARE NOT TARGETS.
Click the button below and choose Khsara from the drop down to make a tax-deductible donation.
Help Humanitarian Aid
Your support can make a difference. We made ‘Khsara’ to inform and to inspire action. By donating to MedGlobal, you help provide essential medical aid to those affected in Gaza, Ukraine and many areas where medical help is needed.
Your contribution supports the heroic efforts of medical teams on the ground. Don’t just watch—act. Help us bring hope and healing to Gaza.
