Fractured
Humanitarian Aid Under Fire
Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, Yemen, and beyond, hospitals are no longer sanctuaries of healing.
Dr. Tammy Abughnaim, an idealistic young American physician, volunteers in a war zone for the first time. Her experience becomes a powerful lens into a global crisis, exposing the collapse of medical neutrality and the urgent fight to protect those who heal: doctors, Hospitals, and Humanitarian aid workers.
We are expanding the 2024 Emmy-nominated documentary short KHSARA into a feature-length documentary that explores the erosion of medical neutrality when doctors, ambulances, and hospitals are targeted in war.
In 2024, 927 healthcare workers were killed while caring for civilians, making it the deadliest year on record. Over 3,600 attacks on health care providers were documented in conflict zones. Ambulances are shelled, hospitals are reduced to rubble, and the international laws meant to protect humanitarian workers are collapsing before our eyes.
SYNOPSIS
At the heart of FRACTURED is the story of Dr. Tammy Abughnaim, an Idealistic young American physician who volunteers for the first time in Gaza. Driven by compassion and conviction, she seeks to bring healing and justice to communities deprived of both.
Following Tammy as she crosses the Rafah border amid blockades, entering hospitals overflowing with wounded children, and performing surgeries without anesthesia or electricity. Her journey is captured through intimate video diaries that chart her journey from idealism to heartbreak.
In her few moments of downtime, we accompany Tammy to an abandoned stairwell where she allows herself to break down long enough to gather her strength before returning to the unrelenting carnage of human suffering.
Dr. Tammy Abughnaim’s first journey into a conflict zone is intercut with firsthand accounts from physicians who have served in the world’s most volatile crises. Together, these testimonies reveal how the rules of engagement are breaking down.
FRACTURED explores
- Who are these doctors?
- What drives them to put their lives in danger to help others?
- How do they handle the fear and trauma?
- How do they return to ordinary life after witnessing the unimaginable?
FRACTURED is not just a documentary;
It’s a call to action.
This documentary amplifies the voices of those who refuse to abandon their oath, even at the cost of their own lives.
“FRACTURED isn’t a film about policies, war or land disputes; it's about humanity.”
Dean Bushala
Director
ARTISTIC APPROACH
From interwoven narratives of doctors in distant war zones, a truth emerges:
The global collapse of medical neutrality.
Unfiltered video diaries, shot first-person by doctors on their personal phones, and in-the-moment interviews of medical workers caught in conflict zones are the backbone of the film. While Photojournalists’ content provides scale, News Reports lay out timelines, attacks, and escalation.
The sound design is built to immerse the viewer in the experience. The echoes of war blend with the doctors’ own voices, creating a soundscape where human resilience and chaos collide.
30 Min
“This film is about hope and heroism...FRACTURED is a way to show that even in the most trying times, Heroes know no limit.”
Jameeleh Shelo
Producer
IMPACT of KHSARA:
Since the premiere of KHSARA in 2024, it has had a major impact on social, cultural, and political fronts.
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EMMY Award Nomination - Outstanding Award for Human Interest
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KHSARA was screened by members of the US Congress at the Capitol Building in DC.
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Footage from the KHSARA was used by the Human Rights Clinic at the University of Chicago and submitted to the International Court of Justice.
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KHSARA was screened at Chicago Public Schools as part of an Equity & Sensitivity training.
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KHSARA was screened at Northwestern University’s Medical School for Staff and medical students.
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KHSARA was part of the Med Global Gala 2024, their most successful fundraising event to date.
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KHSARA screened in Washington, DC at the Palestinian Freedom Center
WHY THIS FILM MATTERS
Medical professionals who have taken an oath to heal are now being systematically killed for doing their jobs. FRACTURED is an urgent and necessary film that tells their stories, demands accountability, and calls for real change.
KEY THEMES
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The erosion of the rules of engagement protecting medical personnel
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Contrast between first-time and veteran humanitarian workers
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The evolution of a person caught in war where survival instincts collide with morals
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The psychological toll of working under constant threat
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The global pattern of targeting medical infrastructure
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Resilience and dedication in the face of increasing danger
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The future of humanitarian medical aid in an increasingly hostile world
ACCESS AND UNIQUE ELEMENTS
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Exclusive access to Dr. Tammy's personal video diaries
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Established relationships with medical NGOs in multiple conflict zones
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Unprecedented multi-country coverage of humanitarian medical work
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Real-time documentation of historic shifts in warfare
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Statistical data and analysis of attacks on medical personnel
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Network of experienced humanitarian workers providing insights
COMPANY
Volaso in Numbers
247
Employees
5
Core Teams
326
Partners Worldwide
$200m
Capital
COLLABORATION
Our Industry Partners
Dean Bushala
Producer / Director
Dean Bushala is an Emmy-winning Producer, Director, and Cinematographer whose compelling visual storytelling has resonated with audiences worldwide through his distinguished work with Disney+, National Geographic, MTV, PBS,, Discovery, and History Channel. His career spanning three decades, Bushala has consistently elevated the standards of documentary filmmaking in some of the world's most challenging environments, including the Andes, Amazon Rain Forest, Arctic Ocean, and Eastern Africa.
His latest achievement, KHSARA (2024), earned Dean his 3rd Emmy nomination, adding to an extensive portfolio of accolades, including Emmy, Telly Awards, Anthem Award, Communicators Award, and the prestigious Michael Moore Award for documentary excellence.
30 Min
Jameeleh Shelo
Producer
Jameeleh Shelo is a native Chicagoan and proud Southsider. She is an Emmy award-winning writer, a Telly award-winning producer, and a performer. She attended Columbia College (Chicago) where she earned a B.A. in Television Writing and Production. Jameeleh Late Night with Conan O’Brien, Stephen Colbert, Lisa Lampanelli and Cedric the Entertainer. Jameeleh 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 ™), Executive Producer of the Emmy-nominated documentary KHSARA and a 2025 Safina Filmmaker Fellow.
30 Min