The Song of the Msising Men

by Layth Abdulamir

Iraq

Director: Layth Abdulamir

Cinematographer: Ammar Saad

Editing: L. Le Mercier

Sound Mix: J.C. Caron

Production: M. Tamadon

Zarafa Films
29 rue Méhul
93500 Pantin
France
Tel: 0033 1.74.73.40.50
Fax: 0033 1.48.43.66.06
Mail: [email protected]
www.zarafa-films.com

Year: 2005

DV CAM, Colour, 90 min
OV with French Subtitles.

Unreleaed
World Premiere

Beyond the specific stories and feelings of various communities, it is the image of the entire country's identity which Iraqi director Layth Abdulamir has been able to catch and convey, indeed not an easy task. Within their common cultural, social and historical background, as minimum as it might be, Kurds,Turkmen, Shiahs, Sunnis or Christians, villagers or city-dwellers, men or women, are all Iraqis. This identity image takes shape in a trip from the deep south to the extre me northern part of Iraq, in a juxtaposition of singular expressions.

During this trip, time and distance are necessary to immerse oneself in the landscape which has so much moulded the people and their history. The itinerary is a panorama of the geopolitical map of Iraq where all components of Iraqi society form the mosaic of a nation which broke when the coalition forces' first armoured vehicle entered the country of Mesopotamia.

The Iraqi tunes and voices relentlessly underline an ancestral identity now split, unless they form the meanders of a new country.