DCP & HD - 2011 - UK, Netherlands, Iraq - 85 & 51 min - Color
In my mother’s arms
In my mother's arms (original title)
A film by Atia Al Daradji & Mohamed Al-Daradji
Husham works tirelessly to build the hopes, dreams and prospects of the 32 damaged children of war, under his care at a small orphanage in Baghdad's most dangerous district. Against this threatening backdrop, with funds running desperately low, the bittersweet dramas of childhood play out: 7-year-old SAIF can only remember his dead mother's name, 'Mejuda', as he faces the taunts of other kids in constant playground battles; teenager MOHAMMED struggles to balance academic life with his search for self-identity; whilst young Salah fears he may never be able to go to school. When the landlord gives Husham and the boys just two weeks to vacate, a desperate search ensues.
Atia Al Daradji & Mohamed Al-Daradji
Biography:
Atia Al-Daradji: Director
Born in Baghdad, 1964, and a graduate from the Fine Art Academy film department (1993), he is founder of Iraq Al Rafidain, Iraq's premier film production company. The producer of Mohamed's debut film Ahlaam, and subsequently producer of Iraq : War, Love, God and Madness and Son of Babylon, Atia combines the methods of Western Film Practice, with his own self-styled hard-line approach to production that is instrumental in making films in Iraq.
Mohamed Al-Daradj: Co-Director
Born in Baghdad, 1978, Mohamed is co-founder of multi-award winning Human Film, a UK & Netherlands -based feature film Production Company.
Following the collapse of Saddam's regime in 2003, Mohamed returned to Iraq to make his first feature film, Ahlaam, an insight into the chaos and confusion of a war-torn Iraq following 3 decades of dictatorship. Ahlaam screened at over 125 International Film Festivals, received over 22 awards, and represented Iraq for Oscar and Golden Globe Consideration in 2007.
Mohamed returned to Iraq in 2008 to shoot feature film; Son of Babylon, that went on to screen at Sundance and Berlin where it received 2 awards. Mohamed recently completed work on: In My Mother’s Arms and is in development with his next fiction film ‘The Train Station’, which was selected for Cannes IFF, L’ATELIER 2011.
Filmography:
Atia Al-Daradji
2011: In My Mother’s Arms
Mohamed Al-Daradj
2011: In My Mother’s Arms
2010: Iraq: War, Love, God Madness
2010: Son of Babylon
2006: Ahlaam
Original language: Arabic
Produced by: Human Film & Iraq Al Rafidain
With the support of: Al-Jazeera English, Sanad Abu Dhabi IFF, San Sebastian Cinema in Motion, Goteborg IFF Film Fund, Nederlands Film Fonds
Festival(s):
Toronto International Film Festival 2011 – OFFICIAL COMPETITION – Real to Reel Section