Do Elephants Pray - Raindance Film Festival

SON OF BABYLON
SUNDAY 10 OCTOBER AT 7PM
Set in post-Saddam Iraq, Son of Babylon follows Ahmed, a young
boy, and his grandmother. Traveling from the Kurdish north
they move deep into the country’s barren, war-torn landscape in
search of the boy’s father who’s been missing since 1991.
A desperate adventure, their journey is shared along the way
with a rich cast of secondary characters each of whom has a
different connection with recent events and their own story to tell.
In a remarkable performance by Yasser Taleeb, Ahmed’s
character shines out against a desert backdrop, as a boy on the
cusp of adulthood, full of energy, wonder and innocence. As the
search for Ahmed’s father unfolds, the dark secrets of Saddam’s
time are slowly revealed to expose a population in disarray.
Abruptly faced with the country’s undocumented history of
death and violence, we watch as the brutal consequences of
Saddam’s regime shape Ahmed’s childhood.
Son of Babylon, offers an insight into Iraq beyond what we may
be familiar with as a foreign audience through news coverage.
Featuring breathtaking cinematography and set for nomination as
the country’s 2011 Oscar contender, this may well be one of the
definitive films to deal with Iraq’s recent history. The film received
accolades at both Sundance and Berlin this year. JK
Country Iraq/UK Running Time 90 mins Format 35mm Director Mohamed Al-
Daradji Producers Isabelle Stead, Atia Al-Daradji, Mohamed Al-Daradji Screenplay
Jennifer Norridge, Mohamed Al-Daradji, Mithal Ghazi DoP Mohamed Al-Daradji, Duraid
Al-Munajim Cast Yasser Taleeb, Shehzad Hussen Print Source Human Film
100 18TH RAINDANCE FILM FESTIVAL