Mohamed Al Daradji

Mohamed AlDaradji born 6 August 1978 Baghdad is an Iraqi filmmaker writer producer and founder of the Iraqi Independent Film Center He studied in Baghdad and Hilversum the Netherlands before completing masters degrees in Cinematography and Directing at the Northern Film School in Leeds United Kingdom AlDaradji made his featurefilm debut with Ahlaam 2006 which screened at more than 125 international film festivals and received numerous international awards The film was also Iraqs submission for the 79th Academy Awards He followed Ahlaam with his second narrative feature Son of Babylon 2010 which received critical acclaim and international recognition screening at major festivals including the Sundance Film Festival and the Berlin International Film Festival The film was also selected as Iraqs submission for the 83rd Academy Awards AlDaradji later codirected the documentary feature In My Mothers Arms 2011 The film screened at numerous international festivals and won the Best Documentary Feature Film award at the 2012 Asia Pacific Screen Awards His next feature In the Sands of Babylon 2013 explored the aftermath of the Gulf War and received three major festival awards Best Film from the Arab World at the Abu Dhabi Film Festival the City of Venice Award at the Venice International Film Festival and Best Actor at the Festival International du Cinéma de Dakhla His third narrative feature The Journey 2017 premiered internationally and received festival recognition It was selected as Iraqs submission for the 91st Academy Awards Throughout his career AlDaradjis work has explored Iraqs history war displacement memory trauma and the human consequences of political conflict He established the Iraqi Independent Film Center IIFC a Baghdadbased film production and training institution dedicated to developing independent cinema and supporting a new generation of Iraqi filmmakers