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.‬

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.