Baghdad: The Al-Jadriya Mall Cinema in Baghdad hosted a screening of the film "Migration" by Saudi director Shahad Ameen, at a cultural event organized by the Iraqi Center. The event was attended by the British and French ambassadors to Iraq, along with a large gathering of intellectuals and those interested in cinema.
According to National Iraqi News Agency, the film represents a remarkable Arab and international production, having taken approximately four years to complete, with the participation of entities from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Britain, and Egypt. Its screening in Baghdad reflected a clear Iraqi presence in the making of a film that has garnered significant acclaim at international festivals.
Director Mohammed Al-Daradji stated that "Migration" represents a "significant achievement," having participated in the Venice International Film Festival, where it won the NETPAC Award for Best Asian Film. It was also selected to represent Saudi Arabia in the Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film, in addition to receiving several other awards and being screened in Gulf and Arab countries.
Al-Daradji added that the Iraqi team played an active role in the film's production, through the participation of a select group of young Iraqis, including Ali Al-Daraji and Ali Saad Saif Al-Din. He explained that the film was produced with Saudi-Egyptian funding, and with support from the Saudi Ministry of Culture, the NEOM Foundation, and the Ithra Center, along with other Saudi cultural institutions, while the Iraqi Center contributed to the execution and production of the work.
For his part, actor and director Dr. Haitham Abdul-Razzaq believes that the film's importance lies not only in its artistic success, but also in revealing the nature of the challenges facing Iraqi cinema. Abdul Razzaq stated that this project wasn't solely reliant on Saudi support; multiple entities from various countries participated. This reflects a clear reality: many Iraqi filmmakers are forced to seek external or exceptional support due to the absence of effective production institutions within the country.
The film "Migration" revolves around the dialectic of conflict between the old and the new, the constant and the changing, through a woman's journey fraught with questions, rebellion, and a search for a broader meaning in life. The film begins with an attempt to break free from certain social systems and customs, through the story of a girl seeking a different opportunity. Her escape transforms into a cry of protest against a closed society dominated by rituals and traditions that stifle life.
The film has continued to garner awards in recent months, most recently winning Best Feature Film at the Aswan International Women's Film Festival, while its star, Nawaf Al-Dhafeeri, won Best Actor at the same festival.