• Home
  • Faces
  • Movies
  • The Diaries
  • The Briefly
  • Minimalist Fashionista
  • Selfies Interviews
  • About
  • contact
Menu

E. Nina Rothe

Film. Fashion. Life.
  • Home
  • Faces
  • Movies
  • The Diaries
  • The Briefly
  • Minimalist Fashionista
  • Selfies Interviews
  • About
  • contact
×

The Diaries, because sometimes life needs more. 

A still from ‘Mirrors of Diaspora’ by Kasim Abid

A still from ‘Mirrors of Diaspora’ by Kasim Abid

Cinema with a Conscience: The Independent Iraqi Film Festival kicks off August 21st, free & online

E. Nina Rothe August 21, 2020

When we think of Iraq these days, we hardly think of poetry, art and cinema. It’s a land that evokes visions of war and destruction, Western invasions and destroyed lives — alas not the land of the iconic architecture of Mesopotamia anymore.

But living around the world, making up the diaspora from the Region, there are quite a few wonderfully creative Iraqis who continue to inspire humanity with the beauty of their work. Among them, personally I can name at least two — both dear friends and wonderful innovators. And one of those happens to be Shahnaz Dulaimy, a pioneering film editor in the Middle East who has worked on such personal favorites as the Oscar nominated film ‘Theeb’ by Naji Abu Nowar, and Annemarie Jacir’s ‘When I Saw You’. More recently, she’s edited Shahad Ameen’s ‘Scales’ which won at the 2019 Venice Film Festival, in the Critics’ Week section.

Dulaimy got together with three of her fellow countrymen, and women — Israa Al-Kamali, Ahmed Habib and Róisín Tapponi — to launch an online film festival which would highlight the cinema of her beloved country of origin. The Independent Iraqi Film Festival, or IIFF, premieres on August 21st and runs through the 28th of August 2020. All films are free to watch on the selected dates and promise to inspire the viewer into watching more cinema from Iraq.

You know me, I firmly believe that where diplomacy and politics along with religion fail, cinema always manages to create bridges of understanding and peace.

So get watching and thank me later. Following is a list of the films streaming daily.

21 AUGUST | 8:30pm IRAQ | 6:30pm UK

‘Iraq: War, Love, God and Madness’ (2008) by Mohamed Al Daradji

After the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, Baghdad born Mohamed Al Daradji returned home in 2004 with a dream of making his feature film, Ahlaam. The extraordinary story of how that film was made is the subject of Iraq: War, Love, God and Madness. Struggling against time, imprisonment, injuries, and terrorist attacks, the cast and crew struggle on and miraculously manage to finish the film.

22 AUGUST | 8:30pm IRAQ | 6:30pm UK

‘Tracking Iraq: New Wave Cinema’

This special program explores life within Iraq from the vantage points of its diverse communities, as well as the innovative techniques of filmmaking throughout the country. A series of short films.

23 AUGUST | 8:30pm IRAQ | 6:30pm UK

‘Festival Talk: Habibi Collective x shakomako.net’

“Film & Social Change: Iraq and Beyond”

In this discussion which brings together filmmakers from Iraq and beyond, the festival explores different ways that film has been a catalyst to bring about social change. The discussion will be moderated by Roisin Tapponi and Ahmed Habib.

24 AUGUST | 8:30pm IRAQ | 6:30pm UK

‘Mirrors of Diaspora’ (2018) by Kasim Abid

On the 15th anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, ‘Mirrors of Diaspora’ explores themes of exile, creativity, identity and war told through the lives of seven Iraqi artists living outside the country of their birth for close to half a century. The artists featured in this documentary belong to a group known as ‘Iraqi Artists in Exile’. Filmed over three decades‭, ‬this ambitious project explores their challenges‭, ‬failures and successes‭, ‬both as artists and in their private lives‭: ‬from the time they graduated from art school in the 1970s‭, ‬working as street artists in the piazzas of Rome and‭ ‬Florence‭, ‬to becoming well-known‭. ‬The central question the film‭ ‬poses is‭: ‬what are the consequences of spending most of one’s life in exile‭? ‬At a time of unprecedented global migration when barely a day passes without a tragic story played out in the international media‭, ‬‘Mirrors of Diaspora’‭ ‬contributes to greater understanding of one of the defining issues of our time‭.‬

Poster image for IIFF, image by Haneen Hadiy

Poster image for IIFF, image by Haneen Hadiy

25 AUGUST | 8:30pm IRAQ | 6:30pm UK

‘Gender Utopia: Contemporary Feminism in Iraqi Cinema’

The second shorts program highlights the outspoken voices of young Iraqi women, exemplifying the strength of Iraq’s marginalized voices.

26 AUGUST | 8:30pm IRAQ | 6:30pm UK

‘Qarantina’ (2010) by Oday Rasheed

A broken family under an incestuous patriarch lives uneasily within the gated courtyard of an old Baghdad house. Hard up for money, the household must live with a sullen and mysterious boarder, a contract killer. In such a house, though, it may be that freedom and safety actually lie beyond the gates.

27 AUGUST | 8:30pm IRAQ | 6:30pm UK

‘The Survivors of Firdous Square’ (2017) by Adel Khaled

This documentary recounts the story of an Iraqi artist collective who lived and worked through the destruction of the 2003 war. The film focuses on Bassem, the sculptor whose iconic metal work took the place of the infamous fallen statue of Saddam Hussain. The work became symbolic of new beginnings for Iraq, but then began to mirror the tragic catastrophe that surrounded it.

28 AUGUST | 8:30pm IRAQ | 6:30pm UK

‘Baghdad in my Shadow’ (2019) by Samir

A failed author, a wife in hiding, a clandestine gay IT-specialist meet in an Iraqi café in London. Their peaceful coexistence is threatened when they are attacked by a radicalized youth.

For further info, check out the festival’s website. For all the free screenings, click here.

In Cinema, Festival, The Diaries Tags Iraqi cinema, Independent Iraqi Film Festival, Arab cinema, Samir, Baghdad in my Shadow, London, Iraq, Uk, Saddam Hussain, The Survivors of Firdous Square, Adel Khaled, Qarantina, Oday Rasheed, Baghdad, Feminism, Short films, Mirrors of Diaspora, Kasim Abid, Roisin Tapponi, Ahmed Habib, Habibi Collective, New Wave cinema, Iraq: War Love God and Madness, Mohamed Al Dardji, Shahnaz Dulaimy, Haneen Hadiy, Israa Al-Kamali, Róisín Tapponi
← Le Giornate del Cinema Muto I Pordenone Silent Film Festival announces 39th edition, onlineFive films, and much more, to watch at this edition of the New Zealand International Film Festival →
Post Archive
  • May 2025
  • April 2025
  • March 2025
  • February 2025
  • January 2025
  • December 2024
  • November 2024
  • October 2024
  • September 2024
  • August 2024
  • July 2024
  • June 2024
  • May 2024
  • April 2024
  • March 2024
  • February 2024
  • January 2024
  • December 2023
  • November 2023
  • October 2023
  • September 2023
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • November 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • April 2020
  • February 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
 

Featured Posts

Featured
The Extrardinary Miss Flower review for E Nina Rothe.jpg
May 2, 2025
The power of one, letter: 'The Extraordinary Miss Flower' review
May 2, 2025
May 2, 2025
Most People Die on Sundays for ENinaRothe.jpg
Apr 28, 2025
To be young, gifted and... gay! A review of Iair Said's 'Most People Die on Sundays'
Apr 28, 2025
Apr 28, 2025
the-accountant-2-ben-affleck-jon-bernthal for ENinaRothe.jpg
Apr 25, 2025
I'll give you one, no make that 2 good reasons to watch 'The Accountant 2' with Ben Affleck
Apr 25, 2025
Apr 25, 2025
UnBroken_Weber_Siblings_Allied Forces_Bremerhaven_Germany_1946 for ENinaRothe.png
Apr 21, 2025
Courage decoded: Beth Lane's 'UnBroken' is the film you need to watch on Netflix
Apr 21, 2025
Apr 21, 2025
Olmo Schnabel's Pet Shop Days for ENinaRothe.jpg
Mar 12, 2025
Olmo Schnabel's 'Pet Shop Days', EP'd by Martin Scorsese to finally release in the US
Mar 12, 2025
Mar 12, 2025