Directed by Sahim Omar Kalifa and Jurgen Buedts

Latif Al Ani photographed Iraq for 30 years before multiple wars arose. At the age of 86, he travels through his devastated country in search of the people and places he photographed at the time, sharing his pictures with Iraqis who today cannot imagine that the world in the photographs was real.

Synopsis

Latif al Ani, born in Baghdad in 1932 is known as the 'father of Iraqi photography’. His work forms a unique visual archive of Iraq during its heydays from the 1950s to 1970s and are a profound insight into the country, mostly unknown to Westerners and even Iraqi people themselves. When Saddam took power, Al Ani stopped photographing. In 2015, he received the prestigious Prince Claus Award, awarded annually by the Dutch Royal Family. This recognition has given Al Ani new confidence and a desire to reconnect with his work, his country and to travel the world like he did freely so many years ago. Now, many years after the last invasion, he is travelling with his photographs, telling stories and showing the unknown Iraq of those days.

Sahim Omar Kalifais a Belgian-Kurdish filmmaker based in Belgium. In 2001, he came toBelgium, and in 2008 he got his Master's degree in filmmaking at Sint-Lukas Film School,Brussels. Kalifa has won 96 international awards between his short films.Baghdad Messi was shortlisted for the 87th Academy Awards, and 'Bad Hunter' wasshortlisted for the 88th Academy Awards.Sahim was chosen in Istanbul as the Best Kurdish film director and later that year became avoting member for the Academy Awards.

Jurgen Buedtsis a writer, director, producer. With his company Las Belgas, established in2013 they are able to attract international talent and create award winning projects worldwide.Projects he produced, co-produced, wrote or directed include high endfilms but also artisticlow budget arthouse projects, both fiction and documentary.His work is seen on big and small screens and his network includes high endfilmmakers,broadcasters, producers or networks worldwide.

Credits

Created by: Jurgen Buedts

Written by: Jurgen Buedts, Sahim Omar Kalifa

Directed by: Sahim Omar Kalifa, Jurgen Buedts

Filmed by: Carl Rottiers Jimmy Kets Jurgen Buedts

Sound Recorded by: Ludovic Elias Joren Desmidt Muslim Habeeb

Original music composed by: Laurent Petitgan

Produced by: Las Belgas, Co-produced by Faites un vœu, Sumerian Dream ProductionCompany, Arte France, Al Jazeera Network, AVROTROS, CANVAS, and The KnowledgeNetwork Canada.

With the support of: B-F-Comté, CNC COSIP , Grand Est, Proc. ANG, IMS, Bertha Foundation,Field of Vision, Belgian tax shelter.In cooperation with Creative Europe, Flanders film fund, and screen Flanders.