ReSurge International Documentary SIMA Selected at Berlin Commercial 2026
SIMA, a human centred documentary directed by ReSurge International chief marketing officer, Anna Santos and documentary filmmaker and sound mixer Henrique Campos Ligeiro, has been selected at Berlin Commercial 2026.
The selection places SIMA among this year's recognised creative work at Berlin Commercial, highlighting the growing role of documentaries in tackling social and cultural issues through film. Produced in partnership with global health non-profit ReSurge, the film brings one of the world’s most overlooked global health challenges - the lack of access to essential reconstructive surgery - into focus through the story of one family in Nepal.
SIMA follows the experience of a seven-year-old girl and her family as they search for reconstructive care after a fire left her with a burn scar contracture restricting movement in her shoulder. Rather than this being a story about a lack of care, the documentary carefully draws attention to real possibilities when local healthcare systems, surgeons and communities have the capacity to provide it.
"We wanted to tell a story about a global health crisis that remains largely invisible, told through one family’s experience. The global surgery gap and the devastating impact of burn injuries are felt most profoundly by women and girls in low-income countries. The heroes of this film aren’t outsiders coming in to save the day. They are Sima, her family, and the local Nepali healthcare workers who make her care possible. We hope people see not only the scale of the challenge, but what is possible when local expertise is supported and children like Sima are given a chance," said Anna Santos.
At the heart of the documentary is Dr. Shankar Man Rai, a Nepali reconstructive surgeon who has spent more than three decades expanding access to surgical care for burn and cleft patients across Nepal's rural communities. Honoured by the Dalai Lama, Dr. Rai represents the local leadership and surgical expertise that the film argues is critical to creating sustainable healthcare solutions.
“As a documentary filmmaker, the most important thing for me is approaching every story with the utmost care and respect, establishing trust with the people who are sharing their stories. What struck me most was the love, resilience, and unity of Sima's family. That became the heart of the piece, alongside the remarkable way Dr. Shankar Rai and the Nepali team were going the extra mile to care for each patient. It was important to tell that story through a human lens rather than through statistics, and collaborating with Anna and ReSurge on this passion project to bring that story to the people who needed to hear it most was an honour,” said Henrique Campos Ligeiro.
SIMA brings together Anna’s extensive background in social-impact storytelling and Ligeriro’s more than 15 years experience across film and production sound - his credits include work on the Oscar nominated documentary The Edge of Democracy and feature film Pacified, alongside productions for Netflix, National Geographic, Discovery Channel, Hulu and PBS. Together, they set out to create something that moves beyond statistics and policy debates, using one family's experience to highlight the human impact of access to reconstructive surgery, and the extraordinary possibilities when there is access to lasting healthcare systems.
