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ReSurge International logo with three abstract human figures in teal, coral, and brown on the left, and the organization’s name in dark green text on the right.
Large white letters spell “SIMA” on a light gray background, evoking the impactful narratives found in a reconstructive surgery Nepal documentary film.
Watch the Trailer

SIMA: A Documentary Short on Reconstructive Surgery in Nepal

When Sima was seven years old, an unimaginable fire changed the course of her life. Over the years, her scars developed into painful contractures: tight, restrictive tissue that limited her movement and worsened as her body grew.

Her family began searching for a way to restore her mobility. But in a low-income country like Nepal, finding the reconstructive surgery she needed was not so easy. 

A man in a red robe warmly clasps the hands of another man who is bowing respectfully, both exchanging a gesture of greeting or blessing in front of a colorful background.
A young girl with brown skin and dark hair looks upward, her expression calm and thoughtful—a quiet strength that reflects the hope often inspired by access to reconstructive surgical care. The background is blurred, drawing focus to her face and bright eyes.

SIMA is a 12-minute documentary following her family’s journey and the humble hero they find along the way: Dr. Shankar Man Rai, a surgeon honored by the Dalai Lama who has spent decades helping children and families like Sima’s.

SIMA sheds light on a much larger global health crisis: the profound disparities in burn care and access to reconstructive surgery faced by children in low-income countries.

Watch the Official Trailer

To learn more about how to watch the film, host a screening or start a fundraiser reach out to info@resurge.org.

How to Help

1

Spread the word
Share the trailer with your network, and sign up for email updates on ReSurge’s work.

2

Make a donation or start a fundraiser
Help expand access to reconstructive surgical care.

3

Host a screening of SIMA
Sign up below to bring the film to your home, workplace, school, organization or community.

Host A Screening

SIMA opens the door to conversations about who has access to surgical care, who does not, and what it takes to close that gap.

Host a screening for your workplace, school, organization, community or friends and help introduce more people to the global surgery movement.

About Dr. Shankar Man Rai

At the heart of Sima’s care is Dr. Shankar Man Rai, ReSurge International’s Country Director in Nepal. Born in a remote village, Dr. Rai trained in the United States before returning home to found Nepal’s first plastic reconstructive surgery residency program, training the next generation of local surgeons. He has helped transform more than 23,000 lives since 1999, and his work has been recognized with the Dalai Lama’s Unsung Heroes of Compassion Award. 

About the Issue

A medical professional in scrubs and a mask gently touches the head of a patient lying in a hospital bed, providing comfort and care as part of their dedicated reconstructive surgical care.

Five billion people worldwide lack access to safe, affordable surgical care.

This gap is greatest in low- and middle-income countries, where a treatable injury can lead to lifelong disability. Burns are one of the clearest examples of this inequity. More than 90% of burn deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, and survivors can face disabling contractures without access to timely reconstructive care.

Since 1967, the global health nonprofit ReSurge International has worked to close this gap by expanding access to reconstructive surgery and strengthening surgical capacity in underserved communities. By training and supporting local surgeons and medical professionals, ReSurge helps build systems of care that can reach patients like Sima today and thousands more in the years to come.

96%

Of fatal fire-related burns occur in low-income countries

30%

Of the global burden of disease is from surgically treatable conditions

3x

More than malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS combined

Every 2 Seconds

Someone dies as a result of an untreated surgical condition

17 Million

People die each year due to surgically treatable conditions

5 Billion

People do not have access to safe, timely, and affordable surgical care

Infographic highlighting ReSurge Work in 2025: 31,087 patients helped, 101 volunteers from 10 countries, 8,764 trainees, 20 surgical partners in highlighted regions—all with $0 cost for patient care.
Read our Annual Report

ReSurge's Impact

ReSurge Impacts over 31,000 patients a year across Africa, Asia, and Latin America

SIMA on Screen: Where to Watch

SIMA has been selected for film festivals recognizing global health and social-impact storytelling, with more screenings ahead. Check out our upcoming and past screenings

September 9, 2026

Berlin Commercial Festival

 

Past Film Festivals

Black laurel wreath surrounds the text: “OFFICIAL SELECTION Activists Without Borders Film Festival 2025” on a light background, celebrating powerful stories that highlight crucial issues such as Reconstructive Surgical Care.
Black laurel wreath around text reading “Finalist Iris Global Health Film Festival 2025” on a light background, celebrating excellence in Reconstructive Surgical Care.
Black laurel branches surround the text “Official Selection LA International Art Film Fest” on a light background, indicating a film’s official selection status at the festival—an honor bestowed this year upon a powerful reconstructive surgery Nepal documentary film.
Left: A girl in school uniform jumps rope in front of classmates. Right: A smiling couple sits with their young daughter in their arms, all appearing happy indoors—an uplifting reminder of the transformation possible through reconstructive surgical care.

Press 

Explore the conversation around SIMA, the work of ReSurge International and Dr. Shankar Man Rai and the global need for accessible burn and reconstructive care.

New York Times Article: A man with severe facial burns lies in a hospital bed while a medical worker examines him. The headline beside the image discusses arson, protests, and the impact of burns in Nepal, highlighting the urgent need for reconstructive surgery. This powerful scene could serve as a poignant moment in a documentary film exploring resilience and recovery in Nepal.
Read on The New York Times
A person with burn injuries on their bandaged hand writes in a notebook with a pen. Text above reads, “A Burning Issue: Every three seconds, someone around the world requires medical attention for burns.” Access to Reconstructive Surgical Care can be vital in helping burn survivors recover and regain function.
Read on Think Global Health
Two nurses in masks and gloves handle gauze and dressings in a hospital ward, preparing medical supplies essential for Reconstructive Surgical Care. Hospital beds and medical charts are visible in the background.
Read on Think Global Health
A smiling woman in a red headscarf holds a baby with a cleft lip, both inside a hospital room with green walls and medical beds—an intimate scene captured for a reconstructive surgery Nepal documentary film.
Read on the Nepali Times
Poster announcing the selection of the documentary SIMA at Berlin Commercial 2026, featuring children playing on a white elephant statue and text about Nepal’s health system, the impact of reconstructive surgery in Nepal, and the film’s powerful themes.
Read on IBB

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FAQs

What is SIMA about?

SIMA is a 12-minute documentary, co-directed by Anna Santos and Henrique Campos Ligeiro, following Sima — a seven-year-old ReSurge International patient — on her journey to reconstructive surgical care after she was severely burned in rural Nepal, and Dr. Shankar Man Rai, the ReSurge International surgeon who treats her. The film shines a light on the global gap in access to reconstructive surgical care and the hidden burn crisis in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)

How long is the film?

SIMA runs 12 minutes.

Who is Dr. Shankar Man Rai?

Dr. Shankar Man Rai is ReSurge International’s Country Director in Nepal, operating out of the Nepal Cleft and Burn Center at Kirtipur Hospital. He is a reconstructive surgeon honored by the Dalai Lama for his decades of work expanding access to burn and cleft care in underserved communities.

Where has SIMA been shown?
SIMA has screened at the Activists Without Borders Film Festival (2025 Official Selection), the Iris Global Health Film Festival (2025 Finalist), and the LA International Art Film Fest (2025 Official Selection), with an upcoming screening at the Berlin Commercial Festival on September 9, 2026.
How can I host a screening of SIMA?
 

Fill out the request form on this page with your name, email, and preferred format (in person or virtual). ReSurge International will follow up to confirm details and share the film file or streaming link, along with a discussion guide.

How can I help?
Join our movement and spread the word about SIMA and ReSurge’s work. But the single biggest way you can help is by making a one-time or monthly gift — your support funds surgeries for patients like Sima and helps train more local surgeons like Dr. Rai. ReSurge estimates that training just one surgeon creates a ripple effect reaching 10,000 patients and, over a career, as many as 400,000 lives. Make a gift.
What conditions does reconstructive surgery treat?
Reconstructive surgery addresses conditions from head to toe — cleft lips and palates, burn scar contractures, missing or damaged digits, traumatic injuries from road accidents, congenital anomalies, and cancer reconstruction. These can be debilitating conditions that cause chronic pain, disability, and social exclusion when left untreated. Advanced procedures including microsurgery and nerve transfer restore function for patients with complex injuries that would otherwise result in permanent disability. Scar reconstruction restores mobility for patients left with scars from burns, accidents, or surgery. Acid attacks, which disproportionately affect women and girls in low-income countries, are also treated by reconstructive surgery.
How does training one surgeon create lasting impact?
ReSurge’s train-the-trainer model creates a multiplier effect: a single ReSurge-trained surgeon will treat an average of 10,000 patients over their career. When that surgeon becomes a trainer, they are projected to impact more than 400,000 patients through the surgeons and clinical teams they mentor
How does ReSurge address the global surgical shortage?
ReSurge International trains local reconstructive surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, occupational therapists, and pediatricians in 16 countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. By building in-country capacity rather than relying on visiting surgical teams, ReSurge creates sustainable, long-term access to care.

Your Support Makes Our Mission Possible

We cannot make an impact without your support. Give today to create a ripple effect that changes the world through life-changing, no-cost reconstructive surgeries.