Ali Raheem
Production
Biography
Born in 1988 in Baghdad, Ali studied filmmaking at the college of Fine Arts, Baghdad University. He gained experience by working as an editor on a number of films for over 12 years. He also directed several films, such as life in darkness, as well as a feature documentary Balanja. He worked for 5 years as an independent producer on a number of short and feature films, most recent of which was the feature film Haifa Street,which was selected among the most important African, Middle Eastern and Arab projects at the Venice International Festival (Final Cut). currently he continue working on many Iraqi films as producer, in one of the most important independent film companies in Baghdad, he recently produced and edited one of the most Iraqi successful feature film "Haifa street" which got recently the biggest award in Busan international film festival and best film and best actor at Cairo international film festival. "woodman" is a feature film project he is currently working with as producer for the Iraqi director Qutaiba Aljanabi.
Known For
Laith, a 22 year old male wakes up on his birthday in Mosul, Iraq, only to have problems with his boyfriend, Mohanad a 27 year old male. Mohanad believes that Laith is cheating on him with a girl and a fight erupts as Mohanad storms out of the apartment only to rush back as he sees ISIS have taken over the city and raid the apartment block.
Life in Darkness
As the archaeologist Yousef returns to Baghdad after years abroad, he soon finds himself embroiled in trouble after he kills the husband of his neighbor, Rahma, in self-defense. As Yousef and Rahma hide the body, they receive a threat from someone who has a video of the crime.
The Red Zone
2006, Baghdad is ravaged by sectarian violence. Haifa Street is the epicenter of the conflict. Ahmed gets dropped off there by a taxi on his way to his beloved Suad's home to ask for her hand for marriage, he gets shot by Salam, a sniper who's living his own personal hell on a rooftop above.
Haifa Street
“The Woodman” is a feature film with a thriller theme with a life size wooden dummy as the protagonist. It is a fairy tale about the outsiders in the world represented by the Woodman. This story is the reverse of the usual representation – the Woodman is now on the search of his home, chased by evil powers invisible in the film, he wants to go back to his forest, he wants to go home.
The Woodman
Four people from KurdistanIraq ( Halabja) strive to save their town from the hardship and bitterness of the past.
Balanja
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.