Zahraa Ghandour

Zahraa returns to her childhood home in Baghdad, haunted by the disappearance of her friend Noor twenty years ago. During her search, she meets Laila (22) at the same shelter where Noor was last seen. Zahraa discovers that many girls are abandoned by their mothers due to gender-based violence. She realizes how the war on Iraq reinforced patriarchal systems, compelling mothers to leave their baby daughters behind in a society that rejects them.

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An experimental short film that expresses a subjective experience during quarantine and was made as an attempt to find ourselves while living an ongoing semi-isolated life. Dream-like imagery reflects our thoughts and slow paced lifestyle, and connects our isolated reality to the seemingly distant world we see in the media – one where many women have spent their entire lives in a compulsory quarantine as a result of unfair social systems.

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Born in the home of a Baghdad midwife, actor/director Zahraa witnessed violence against women from early on. Now she’s pointing the camera in search for a lost girl and to confront lifelong shame and fear alongside three exceptional women in her life.

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The talented Hamoudi is an 11-year-old boy with a passion for soccer and an ultimate dream to one day reach the level of his idol Lionel Messi. The day Hamoudi is caught in a horrific suicide attempt, he wakes up severely injured in a hospital. As his parents struggle to keep the family safe, Hamoudi is determined to fight for his shattered dream.

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As the archaeologist Yousef returns to Baghdad after years abroad, he soon finds himself embroiled in trouble after he kills the husband of his neighbor, Rahma, in self-defense. As Yousef and Rahma hide the body, they receive a threat from someone who has a video of the crime.

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A wide variety of Iraqis in exile meet at Café Abu Nawas in London, including the architect Amal, the poet Taufiq and the gay IT specialist Muhannad. They all want to finally feel free in London - something that was denied them in their homeland. But adversity threatens...

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Sara enters Baghdad station with sinister intentions for its reopening ceremony. As she braces to commit an unthinkable act, her plans are drastically altered by an unwanted and awkward encounter with Salam, a self-assured and flirtatious salesman. With Salam now hostage to Sara’s confused and deluded plan, he battles desperately to appeal to her humanity and sway her decision. In a moment of consideration and with her convictions crumbling before her, Sara is given the opportunity to witness the life and innocence she was so willing to destroy. But is this a second chance or an admission of guilt?

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The blind ferryman Ayoub lives in the swamps of southern Iraq. One day he meets a mysterious woman and falls for her. Nobody believes that she exists. When even his neighbors turn away from him, he carries out a fatal act in desperation.

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Zahraa returns to her childhood home in Baghdad, haunted by the disappearance of her friend Noor twenty years ago. During her search, she meets Laila (22) at the same shelter where Noor was last seen. Zahraa discovers that many girls are abandoned by their mothers due to gender-based violence. She realizes how the war on Iraq reinforced patriarchal systems, compelling mothers to leave their baby daughters behind in a society that rejects them.

Open details →