In the opening minutes of this film we are seeing a woman's point of view in a building we soon realise is under attack. She gives her baby daughter to another woman who runs downstairs. As she is filming the corridor, up ahead there is an explosion and debris and smoke burst out from one of the doorways. The effect is clear - the audience immediately understands that this film is going to be a huge dose of frightening reality. A civil war seen from the inside.

Journalist Waad Al-Khateab lived in the heart of rebel territory during the siege of Aleppo with her doctor husband Hamza. Whilst he and his colleagues treated hundreds of injured civilians in a makeshift hospital she worked hard to document everything that they and their friends experienced whilst also bringing up her baby daughter, Sama, to whom the film is lovingly addressed.

The result is a searingly powerful collection of extraordinary footage, which captures both the horror and brutality of the violence visited on civilians as well as the humanity and genuine heroism of those who chose to stay and treat the wounded. The footage is unflinching and shocking in many places, and the audience is party to scenes of gut-wrenching grief. But we are also shown shining glimpses of humanity, of survival, camaraderie, love, and even humour at times.

But what makes For Sama really special is the intimate portrayal of a mother's love in the most terrifying of circumstances. Everything is filmed - we get to see Waad's immediate reaction as she holds the newborn Sama for the first time, and suddenly begins to weep for all those people they lost up until this point. It's a stunningly affecting thing to watch a documentary maker bare herself emotionally in this way.

And there are so many moments like that, of extraordinary emotional rawness, throughout this film that make it a must-see. It is a tough and harrowing watch but it is more than worth it for the unique and intimate perspective it provides.

For Sama received a standing ovation at its world premiere at Austin's SXSW Film Festival. It also received the Grand Jury Prize for Documentary Feature. It is a remarkable film. Each of us tries to go through his/her daily life and pretend there is no place in the world where human beings are being routinely slaughtered as occurred in Aleppo. Waad Al-Khateab is a hero. She and her husband - a doctor - stayed in Aleppo through the worst of the siege. He saved lives and she documented the horrors for the world to see. For Sama presents some of the most unflinching war coverage that I have seen. The beauty of the film is that she presents it as almost a love letter to her infant daughter Sama who was born in Aleppo in the months leading up to the siege. She is trying to tell her story and the story of her city (one of the oldest continuously populated cities on the planet). The contrast between the horror of parents try to care and protect an infant while simultaneously trying to save lives and document the horror is breathtaking and heart-wrenching. It is as if you set a love story amidst the flames of hell. This is a story that needs to be widely viewed and it will be since it has been picked up by PBS and will air on Frontline in the coming months. Everyone who loves children and hates war (and I really hope that is everyone) should see this film.

Terrifying, Devastating and, Surprisingly, outstanding documentation about the horrific Siege of Aleppo in 2016.