In 2003 Al-Daradji, after the liberation of Iraq from Saddam Hussein, travelled back to his homeland. There he found heartbreaking chaos with countless psychiatric patients. 

In this film, made under very dangerous and threatening circumstances, he tells us the story of a young woman, Ahlaam. She ended up in an institution after her husband was dragged off violently from their wedding. When the institution is flattened by a bomb, she finds herself on the streets. 

Here, she was in danger of succumbing to rapists and extortionists. In the meantime, with the aid of the Red Cross and a young doctor, her family is looking for the patients lost in this urban jungle. 

Also showing a short film on 16 mm made by students in Iraq.

REEL IRAQ FESTIVAL

This film was part of the REEL IRAQ FESTIVAL in Edinburgh, and we are showing another film from that festival in June:

Thursday 4th June 7.30pm: Iraq in Fragments (2008)

After decades of conflict and the trauma of occupation, Iraq faces an uncertain future.

We host these two screenings as these films reveal the complexity of life in Iraq, a view which is a million miles from the sensationalist and momentary snapshots that we get from the mainstream news.