SON OF BABYLON OFFICIAL TRAILER

The director of festival favorite Ahlaam returns with a road movie across Iraq a land where roads, it seems, are the only things left intact. The gritty, neorealist film is set after the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003. On hearing news that prisoners of war have been found alive in the south of Iraq, a willful young boy follows his just-as-obstinate grandmother on her journey to discover the fate of her missing son, Ahmeds father, who never returned from the Gulf War of 1991. From the mountains of the north to the sands of Babylon, they hitch rides with strangers and cross paths with fellow pilgrims on all-too-similar journeys. Struggling to understand his grandmothers search, Ahmed follows in the forgotten footsteps of a father he never knew on a journey that will ultimately lead him to come of age. The films cast and crew include many survivors of Saddams regime (lead actress Shazada Hussein is the only woman to have testified at his trial), but the film refuses pity and sensationalism. This is different than the Iraq you see on the news, Al-Daradji says. Its a human Iraq. This stunning new work is a testament to the continuing search for justice and closure in the new Iraq. —Middle East International Film Festival

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• IRAQ'S MISSING CAMPAIGN
• IRAQ CINEMA
• IRAQI CINEMA
• OSCAR 2011
• BELIN WINNER
• BERLIN IFF
• TRAILER
• KARLOVRY VAY
• EDINBURGH IFF
• ABU DHABI
• UAE FILM
• BRITISH FILM
• DUTCH FILM
• CNC
• SCREEN YORKSHIRE
• UKFC
• ADACH

[isabellestead]

SON OF BABYLON has just won 2 more awards this weekend The Golden Girarldillo - best film at Seville IFF and the Grand jury Prize at 11th Brussels Mediterranean Film Fest. Inshallah for the BIFAs, BAFTA'S, OSCARS AND GOLDEN GLOBES...

[isabellestead]

SON OF BABYLON wins Grand Jury Prize at Hawaii IFF, and wins a prize at Mumbai Third Eye Film Festival. The film has just had it's premiere in Spain today - inshallah the reviews will be good

[isabellestead]

The trailer music is called IRAQ CHILDREN

[isabellestead]

Please do not post any comments that tell the ending - they will be deleted. But thank you to everyone posting about what they think about the film.

[isabellestead]

The film has been selected as Iraq's official film for the Oscars 2011

[bukuku]

I watched the film at the cinema last night The plot is raw with harsh emotions you won't have the time to cry but just helplessly follow every movement of 2 leading characters. A honest insight of what is happening in Iraq today, away from daily news coverage. Greetings from Singapore.

[Arabchick21]

@Sello3 whatever!

[Sello3]

@Arabchick21 Whatever you want honey. While you 're at it, book a ticket to Barcelona and tell'em there's no such thing as Catalunia. Discussion closed:D

[Arabchick21]

@Sello3 Um....kurdistan will never be a country and kurdistan DOES NOT EXIST!!!!!.Just because kurds control three northern iraqi cities doesnt mean they have a kurdistan.They call it that,but its not kurdistan,its arbil,and other two iraqi cities.Iraqis know that kurds control three cities,but majority of iraqis call those three cities northern iraq not kurdistan.Its offensive to call it kurdistan when many iraqis are native to those three regions.

[Sello3]

This movie tells a heartbreaking story. I watched this together with my mother who had to endure the same pain in her search of her brother. Words can't describe the pain. Still I'm very glad this movie was made, as these are stories the 8 o'clock news don't tell you.

[Sello3]

@Arabchick21 Just because Kurdistan isn't a country, that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. We iraqis all know there is a Kurdistan. We just don't recognise it as a country. I fully agree on Iraq being one country, consisting out of a lot of colorful different people. No matter what race, color, culture or background, in the end we are all Iraqis.

[Hdogization]

Arabchick21 I totally agree with you.

[Hdogization]

A moving, wonderful, heartbreaking, emotional epic journey. I have seen more movies about the aftermath in Iraque but this movie says it all. A cinematographic masterpiece with wonderful caracthers and amazing actors. A must see. From the bottom of my making this movie.

[Arabchick21]

@MediaWillRise ummm...kurdistan does not exist and never existed in northern iraq.It is northern iraq and will always be northern iraq for all iraqis.Iraq is a multi ethnic country filled with many different iraqis who are native to northern iraq and many other parts of iraq.Iraq will always be one country.

[Arabchick21]

@TheSlemanpasha Most of the problems we see in iraq is caused by the fucking west.The west are the ones who put these stupid politicans in power.Umm...saddam was not one of us.he was a horrible human being who was not fair to any iraqis.

[Arabchick21]

@TheSlemanpasha Oh and by the way there were iraqi arabs who were tied down and shot infront of people.There are tons of horror stories of what saddam did to iraqi arabs.Saddam is gone,and most iraqis are happy about that.Many iraqis today just want to live in one united iraq without war or hurting anyone.Iraqis before saddam was put in power by america,were living in peace.Muslims,christians,and jews from all ethnic groups lived in peace.