Memories on Stone
Iraq
Shawkat Amin Korki
After Saddam's collapse in Iraq, childhood friends ALAN and HUSSEIN decide to produce a film about Al Anfal- a Kurdish genocide.
Yet, the making of a film in post-war Kurdistan reveals itself as an odyssey, including the most difficult task of all: finding the appropriate lead actress.
Instead of all painstaking efforts they almost fail to find a female lead. Then SINOR enters the stage. She is young, beautiful and passionate about this project, since her own childhood is deeply affected by the Anfal campaign and by the location the film will be shot at. Nevertheless, Sinor cannot decide on her own. It is her cousin HAVAL and his father, UNCLE HAMID, who control her fate. Still, something seems to be pushing SINOR towards playing in the film, even as it becomes clear that the only way to achieve this is by a marriage-deal with HAVAL whom she does not love.
The shooting starts. Behind the scenes, the problems are never ending. As they run out of schedule ALAN and HUSSEIN have to sacrifice all their belongings to keep going. But besides all money-problems, star airs and graces and terrorist-threats, the main issue remains HAVAL, who becomes increasingly jealous and frustrated with Sinor´s devotion to this work which he cannot understand. He also feels the pressure of UNCLE HAMID on him, who is blaming SINOR to destroy the honour of their family.
In a tragic twist of events, HUSSEIN is stabbed by Haval during the shooting of the final scene of the film. He survives heavily injured and the production is suspended.
Now the biggest question ever arises: will this film ever meet the cinema-screen?
Yet, the making of a film in post-war Kurdistan reveals itself as an odyssey, including the most difficult task of all: finding the appropriate lead actress.
Instead of all painstaking efforts they almost fail to find a female lead. Then SINOR enters the stage. She is young, beautiful and passionate about this project, since her own childhood is deeply affected by the Anfal campaign and by the location the film will be shot at. Nevertheless, Sinor cannot decide on her own. It is her cousin HAVAL and his father, UNCLE HAMID, who control her fate. Still, something seems to be pushing SINOR towards playing in the film, even as it becomes clear that the only way to achieve this is by a marriage-deal with HAVAL whom she does not love.
The shooting starts. Behind the scenes, the problems are never ending. As they run out of schedule ALAN and HUSSEIN have to sacrifice all their belongings to keep going. But besides all money-problems, star airs and graces and terrorist-threats, the main issue remains HAVAL, who becomes increasingly jealous and frustrated with Sinor´s devotion to this work which he cannot understand. He also feels the pressure of UNCLE HAMID on him, who is blaming SINOR to destroy the honour of their family.
In a tragic twist of events, HUSSEIN is stabbed by Haval during the shooting of the final scene of the film. He survives heavily injured and the production is suspended.
Now the biggest question ever arises: will this film ever meet the cinema-screen?
Support:
Festivals and Awards:
in competition in Karlovy Vary and Busan 2014
World Sales:
Mitosfilm