The project will be developed across multiple formats – a feature film and documentary, series and podcast.
The Film Committee at Media City Qatar has acquired the life rights to the story of “Caesar,” the Syrian military officer who risked his life to expose torture and human-rights violations inside Syrian prisons under President Bashar Al Assad. The story will be adapted across several formats, including a feature film, documentary, series and podcast, marking one of the committee’s most significant and internationally relevant projects to date.
To bring the project to life, the Film Committee will collaborate with globally recognised production company Department M (The Christophers) and Doha-based Katara Studios, with studio NEON—known for titles such as Anora, Parasite, Triangle of Sadness and Anatomy of a Fall—handling distribution. Kuwait’s Sard Media Group will support the project through documentation and development.
Caesar, who revealed his identity as First Lieutenant Farid al-Madhan in February 2025, previously served as a forensic officer and head of the judicial department for the military police in Damascus. After defecting, he spent three years covertly smuggling evidence of abuses by hiding memory cards in his clothing and even in loaves of bread. His unprecedented collection of photographs and documents became the largest body of evidence implicating the Assad regime in war crimes.
Al-Madhan made a rare public appearance during Industry Days hosted by the Film Committee at the Doha Film Festival 2025, underscoring the weight and global significance of his story. The announcement of the project followed three days of major industry engagements, during which the Committee revealed a series of strategic initiatives and partnerships that further position Qatar as an emerging force in the international film arena.
The planned adaptations will chronicle al-Madhan’s covert mission to expose atrocities, tracing his evolution from a secret documenter inside the regime to a key international witness whose evidence reshaped global accountability efforts. Development will commence immediately in Doha, supported by the Qatar Screen Production Incentive (QSPI).
Mike Larocca, Co-Founder of Department M, said: “Caesar’s incredible true story is one of heroism and humanity, with the depth, scale, and global relevance to make for a great film. We are thrilled to be bringing it to life, and we look forward to working with the Film Committee, Katara, and NEON to create a film that entertains global audiences while doing justice to Caesar’s incredible impact.”
The acquisition highlights the Film Committee’s growing commitment to developing powerful, socially relevant stories while advancing Qatar’s broader vision of becoming a global hub for meaningful, artistically ambitious filmmaking.
