Dialogue: Director Poh Si Teng, Dr. Thaer Ahmad and Dr. Mark Perlmutter will be present during the screening for post-film Q&A at the Saturday, April 25, 7:00 p.m. screening. Encore added: Sunday, April 26, 12:00 p.m.
AMERICAN DOCTOR is a vérité non-fiction film following three prominent physicians – Palestinian, Jewish, and Zoroastrian – friends who couldn’t be more different but are bound by the shared oath to save lives. Dr. Thaer Ahmad is measured and strategic, Dr. Mark Perlmutter is blunt and wears his heart on his sleeve, and Dr. Feroze Sidhwa is media-savvy and prolific. Filmed in unfolding, on-the-ground scenes, the story follows them from a Gazan hospital under siege, to the halls of Congress. Together they fight to keep a promise to their Palestinian colleagues and patients, to continue the struggle where it matters most: the United States.
Sold Out: Saturday, April 25, 7:00 p.m.
Dialogue: Director Poh Si Teng, Dr. Thaer Ahmad and Dr. Mark Perlmutter will be present during the screening for post-film Q&A.
Preceded by:
A SHORT FILM ABOUT KIDS
2024, dir. Ibrahim Handal, 10 min, Palestine, In Arabic with English subtitles
Four kids from the refugee camp in Bethlehem decide to visit the sea for the first time in their life.
A limited first-come, first-served waitlist line will open at the box office one hour before the event. Any available tickets will be released to the waitlist when the event begins. Waitlist does not guarantee entry, limit one spot per person present. No email or phone reservations–must reserve in person. Read our full waitlist policy here.
Encore: Sunday, April 26, 12:00 p.m.
Sponsored by Doc10.
Chicago Palestine Film Festival | April 11–25, 2026
Founded in 2001, the Chicago Palestine Film Festival (CPFF), a program of the Middle East Charitable and Cultural Society Inc., a non-profit organization, is an annual cultural event that serves as a vibrant platform for showcasing the rich and diverse narratives of Palestinian cinema. Film synopses provided by CPFF. Learn more at palestinefilmfest.com.
The Film Center is ADA accessible. This presentation will be projected without open captions. The theater is hearing-loop equipped. For accessibility requests, please email filmcenter@saic.edu