‘Son of Babylon’ and ‘Qawana’
Son of Babylon | Mohamad Al-Daradji | 2009 | 1h 30min
Language: Arabic and Kurdish with English subtitles
Northern Iraq, 2003, two weeks after the fall of Saddam Hussein: Ahmed, a 12-year-old boy, begrudgingly follows in the shadow of his grandmother. On hearing news that prisoners of war have been found alive in the south, she is determined to discover the fate of her missing son, Ahmed's father, who never returned from the Gulf war in 1991. From the mountains of Kurdistan to the sands of Babylon, they hitch rides from strangers and cross paths with fellow pilgrims, on all too similar journeys. Struggling to understand his grandmother's search, Ahmed follows in the forgotten footsteps of a father he never knew.
Mohamad Al-Daradji is an Iraqi-Dutch film director born in Baghdad in 1978. He studied theatre in Iraq, and cinematography and directing in England. He is known for his drama films, which focus on political affairs in the Middle East and their effects on interpersonal relationships.
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Qawana - Broken Record | Parine Jaddo | 2013 | 1h 15min
Languages: Turkmen and Arabic with English subtitles
A poetic journey through Iraq in search of an Iraqi/Turkman song, which the filmmaker Parine Jaddo's mother used to sing, and recorded with her brothers in 1960. Though she knows the melody, she no longer remembers the lyrics. Curiosity takes her around the country in search of the song, giving her insight into Iraq's rich musical heritage, much of which has been lost.
Parine Jaddo was born in Baghdad, Iraq and studied in Lebanon at AUB then at Howard University in Washington DC. Her films include 'Atash', 'Aisha', and other documentary films. She is a recipient of the Paul Robeson and the Princess Grace awards.
The screening will be followed by a Q&A with director Parine Jaddo.
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This screening is part of 'Iraqisms', a series of artistic and cultural events, organised by Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung - Beirut Office and curated by Rasha Salah, in partnership with Dar El-Nimer for Arts and Culture
