Gulf Film Festival showcases cinematic brilliance from Iraq

The chosen films depict a wide range of human emotions caused by the worsening internal political situation in the troubled nation.

They examine the consequences of the ongoing war, and question issues such as relocation, youth and terrorism and sectarian violence.

'Ahlaam' by Mohammed al Daradji, the official selection to the feature competition, deals with the lives of three Iraqis within the bombed ruins of a psychiatric hospital. The film moves between the past and present struggles of the trio caught up in the chaos wrought by America's 'Shock and awe' campaign. It was named Best Film at this year's Bangladesh Film Festival.

The official entries to the In-Competition documentary segment depict the struggles of different segments of the Iraqi society. Directed by Tariq Hashim, www.gilgamesh.21 depicts the two Iraqis, one in exile in Denmark and one in Baghdad, communicating through internet.

Hadi Mahood's, Nights of Gypsy's Descent, revolves around the lives of gypsies subjected to hatred following the fall of the regime in 2003. The film beautifully captures the depth of despair and destruction in the daily lives of a gypsy village; 'One Day in Khadimya Prison for Women' by Oday Salah depicts the life of Iraqi women in the war ravaged nation and 'War, Love. God and Madness' by Mohammed Al Daradji leads us on a voyeuristic journey inside Iraq as fiction and reality blur in the gritty aftermath of 25 years of dictatorship, 3 wars and the wake of three occupations.

'The Death Road', directed by Sanan Najim, selected for the In-Competition Shorts segment, revolves around the everyday dangers faced by taxi drivers in the Iraqi capital, turning innocent people into terrorists. The other selection to the shorts category includes Assad Kareem Alwan's 'Dar Dur', which focuses on the depilating economic situation in Iraq and the failure of successive governments to combat poverty and death.

Entries to the student category, both shorts and documentary, are well represented with a total of 8 entries from Iraq:

'Personal Calendar' and 'Perforated Helmet' take the honours in the In-Competition Shorts for Students segment. Personal Calendar, directed by Basheer al Majid, delves into the internal political crisis of Iraq whereas Mustafa Hadi Hamzah's 'Perforated Helmet' depicts the trials and turbulations of a child who loses his father in the war.

In-Competition documentaries by students include 'Staying' by Mounaf Shaker, which revolves around the stress and pressure families go through in present day Iraq, going about their daily lives amidst killings and bombings; Hiba Bassem's 'Thinking of Leaving' depicts the confused and shifting mindsets of people forced to live in the war ravaged city with constant fear of death and uncertainty, 'Leaving' directed by Bahram Al Zuhairi documents the painful process of a family's relocation to their new home in a foreign land; 'Dr. Nabil' by Ahmad Jabbar explores the varied emotions and dilemmas of a doctor committed to his nation and profession and a father scared of the effects of war on his son ; 'Stranger in his own country' by Hassanain Al Hani narrates the story of a displaced family head trying to survive and provide for his family in difficult times and 'A Candle for the Shabandar café' by Emad Ali is a auto-biographical account of the ruins of Iraq's cultural and literary history in the wake of fresh attacks.

The Festival will take place from April 13 to 18 at Dubai Community Theatre and Arts Center at Mall of Emirates.