Stories from Iraq : Gulf Voices 2
A bride-to-be destroyed by jealousy, an ancient myth brought to life and lastly, the story of young romance - all centered on the cultural and social frameworks of old and new Iraq.
Gulf Voices, an initiative by the Dubai International Film Festival to develop and showcase grassroots projects for emerging filmmakers in the region; returned for the festival’s 10th edition.
In its second segment (Gulf Voices 2), the category premiered three shorts from directors Alaa Shaker, Furat Al Jamil and Rizgar Husen.
Shaker’s This is my night was a brave attempt at highlighting the grim realities of the post-war Iraqi community, where guns were inherited and blood was commonplace. Similarly, Husen’s The day is gone, gave a brief perspective on the plight of the Kurdish, through the story of a young girl and her conflicts with the nephew of her employer. Baghdad Night on the other hand transported you to the old streets of the capital through a series of taxi rides with a mysterious woman submerged in folkloric subtext and reminiscent of the old days.
However, the three films suffer from a problem common to most aspiring and developing filmmakers - the development of strong characters. The narrative captured and conveyed aspects of Iraqi culture that were both mesmerizing and intriguing, but the the audience did not get a sense on what the personalities of the film wanted, desired and needed. This was one case where the culture overpowered the characters, leaving no real sense of separation between Iraqi culture and an Iraqi person.
Catch the next screening of Gulf Voices 2 tomorrow (Dec 9) at 12:45 Mall of the Emirates
As part of our coverage for the 10th Dubai International Film Festival this week (6th December-14th December), we’ll be bringing you the latest updates on the red carpet, film reviews, Q&A with filmmakers, industry panels and workshops. Read other DIFF posts here and watch out for more!