First-time Director Poh Si Teng tackles ‘American Doctor’ with sensitivity and determination

Photo: American Doctor

PARK CITY, Utah — “American Doctor” is a difficult documentary to watch, and it is clearly intended to challenge its audience. When three American doctors – Palestinian, Jewish and Zoroastrian – enter Gaza to save lives, they find themselves caught between medicine and politics.

One of the physicians, Dr. Mark Perlmutter, explains in the film that he felt ashamed of his country and wanted to do something to help. He urged the director not to censor the footage, including graphic scenes showing the aftermath of violence, saying he wanted audiences to confront what the doctors experienced, not a sanitized version. The film notes that daily bombings, even during periods described as ceasefires and on the hospital the doctors worked in, were part of everyday life.

Initially, one of the doctors says he believed the Israeli forces wouldn’t target the hospital, but a missile struck the hospital while the film crew was documenting the cleanup efforts. Then, another missile struck, killing many staff members in the process. Another doctor commented, “We were just doing what we were going to do anyway, but they stepped in with both feet and said ‘let’s get this done,’ which is very brave.”

Throughout the film, the three physicians were unified in their desire to ease suffering and raise their voices as citizens of the United States to call for government action. The area of Gaza around the hospital is shown as a wasteland of destroyed high rises.

Director Poh Si Teng depicts a stark reality as well as the efforts of the three doctors to find a path forward with collective action. She started working on the film in Dec. 2024 and wrapped it up Dec. 2025. She noted that she is proud of the international team with a producer from Denmark, an editor from Japan, a Canadian composer, and Qatari support on the ground in Gaza joining the US crew. This film is crafted so masterfully, it is hard to believe it is the director’s first. Even Poh Si Teng said she should have made the move to directing sooner.

You can see this documentary on Jan. 31 at 5:30 p.m. at the Megaplex Redstone Theater.