‘Birds of War’ Boarded by Dogwoof Ahead of World Premiere at Sundance Film Festival (EXCLUSIVE)

Dogwoof has picked up world sales rights to the feature documentary “Birds of War,” which will world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in the World Cinema Documentary Competition.

The film tells the love story of London-based Lebanese journalist Janay Boulos and Syrian-based activist/cameraman Abd Alkader Habak, delving into their personal archive across 13 years of revolutions, war and exile. The film is directed by Boulos and Habak – their feature debut – and is produced by Sonja Henrici, Boulos and Habak.

Related Stories

'The Handmaid's Tale' Sequel 'The Testaments' First Look: Chase Infiniti and a New Generation of Gilead Women Fight for Freedom

“ ‘Birds of War’ is an extraordinary, intimate love story forged in the shadow of conflict,” said Dogwoof CCO Oli Harbottle. “Told through years of personal archives, it brings rare emotional clarity to war, exile and the cost of bearing witness.”

Henrici commented, ” ‘Birds of War’ uses Janay and Habak’s intimate archive to tell stories that news coverage simply misses. I can’t wait to share this film with audiences in 2026 when the film’s central question is ever more prominent in our minds: How can we be together despite our differences?”

“In crafting ‘Birds of War,’ we embarked on a journey that transcends borders and political narratives, weaving our love story through the wars, revolutions, and shifting realities of Lebanon and Syria,” Boulos and Habak wrote. “The film mirrors the complexities of the region we call home, yet it is ultimately a deeply human exploration of connection, an insistence that love can grow even in the most fractured landscapes.”

Habak continued, “ ‘Birds of War’ captures how conflict reshapes relationships, identity, and belonging, across borders.”

Boulos added. “This film is an intimate chronicle of love, displacement, and survival, shaped by years of revolution and exile, while rooted deep in our lived experience of history unfolding in real time.”

Mark Thomas of Screen Scotland, which supported the film, added: “The film is the powerful and emotional love story of directors Janay and Habak, whose chance meeting in the midst of the chaos of conflict, changes the course of their lives.”