Amnesty International x Investigating The Truth

In the wake of a deadly strike on a group of journalists on the Lebanese-Israeli border, Amnesty International set out to uncover the truth. Drawing on open-source intelligence, forensic analysis, and eyewitness accounts, their investigation concluded the attack may constitute a war crime. Fat Rat Films was brought in to produce a short documentary to amplify the findings, working closely with local crews and those closest to the journalists involved to create a film that was data-driven, human and hard-hitting. The result was a high-impact piece of visual journalism that reached over 200k viewers, premiered at a press conference in Beirut, was selected as a prestigious Vimeo Staff Pick and helped drive global visibility and accountability.

Key outcomes of the campaign:

Film premiered at a Beirut press conference with Amnesty, HRW, AFP and Reuters
Over 200k views on YouTube and widespread press coverage
Featured in The Guardian, BBC, FT, NPR, Al Jazeera, and more
Contributed to a report calling for the killing to be investigated as a war crime

Challenge and approach

Challenge
Amnesty International’s investigation into the killing of Reuters journalist Issam Abdallah demanded a rigorous, credible communication strategy. The subject was sensitive, legally complex and politically volatile, and the team needed a way to convey the gravity of the findings while centering the humanity of those involved. The film had to be evidence-based yet emotionally resonant, navigating grief, trauma and journalistic duty with care and clarity.

Approach
Fat Rat Films worked in close collaboration with Amnesty’s Crisis and MENA teams, building a narrative that combined data with personal testimony. We visualised the open-source investigation which included analysis of over 100 videos and photos, weapons fragment identification, and witness interviews, and grounded it in the lived experience of those affected. Filmed remotely with a trusted local crew, the production was guided by a deep awareness of the context and the care needed to tell this story with integrity. The result was a film that humanised the evidence and reinforced Amnesty’s call for accountability.

Watch the film

Impact

The film launched alongside Amnesty’s investigative report and played a central role in a major press conference held in Beirut in December 2023 with Human Rights Watch, AFP, and Reuters. Attended by international and regional press and Issam’s family, the event helped spotlight the case on a global scale. The documentary quickly gained over 200,000 views and was praised across Amnesty for its impact and integrity. Coverage of the findings appeared in major outlets including The Guardian, BBC, Al Jazeera, and NPR. A German foreign ministry spokesperson and the Lebanese Prime Minister publicly referenced the findings, and the report was submitted to the UN Security Council. For Amnesty and the wider movement for press freedom, the film became a powerful tool for truth, justice and remembrance.