Doha, Qatar; November 21, 2025: The Film Committee at Media City Qatar has acquired the life rights to the story of “Caesar,” the heroic Syrian military officer who put his own life at risk to expose systemic torture and human-rights abuses inside Syrian prisons during Bashar Al Assad’s reign as President

The project will be developed across multiple formats – a feature film and documentary, series and podcast – marking one of the Film Committee’s most ambitious and globally resonant undertakings to date. The Committee will partner with globally renowned Department M (The Christophers) and Doha-based Katara Studios to co-develop and co-produce the story, with distribution by award-winning studio NEON (Anora, Parasite, Triangle of Sadness, Anatomy of a Fall). The project will be supported by Kuwaiti-based Sard Media group, who will document and develop the project.

The real-life Caesar, who publicly unveiled himself as First Lieutenant Farid al-Madhan in February 2025, was a former forensic officer and head of the judicial department for the military police in Damascus. Following his defection, he spent three years smuggling evidence out of the Assad regime via hidden memory cards inside his clothes and loaves of bread.

The man behind the largest leak of evidence implicating the Assad regime in war crimes made a rare appearance during the Industry Days hosted by the Film Committee on the sidelines of the Doha Film Festival 2025. His presence at the event underscored both the gravity of his story and its global cultural significance.

The announcement follows three high-impact Industry Days, during which the Film Committee unveiled a series of landmark initiatives and partnerships. The Film Committee announcements underscored Qatar’s emergence as one of the most exciting new players in the international film landscape.

The Caesar project will trace al-Madhan’s extraordinary journey from secret documenter of atrocities within the Assad regime to international witness whose evidence transformed global policy and accountability. Development will begin immediately in Doha, supported by the Committee’s 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 reinforces the Film Committee’s commitment to championing films that blend artistic excellence with social relevance — and marks another bold step in Qatar’s strategy to establish itself as a global hub for impactful storytelling.