IRAQ'S INVISIBLE BEAUTY

Latif Al Ani, known as the “father of Iraqi photography,” photographed Iraq for thirty years, creating a unique visual archive of the country from the 1950s to the 1970s. After Saddam Hussein came to power, he stopped photographing. At the age of 86, he returns to his devastated homeland, travelling with his photographs in search of the people and places he once captured, and sharing images of an Iraq that many can no longer imagine ever existed.

Directed by Sahim Omar Kalifa Jürgen Buedts
Written by Sahim Omar Kalifa Jürgen Buedts
Featuring Latif Al Ani
Cinematography Carl Rottiers Jimmy Kets Jürgen Buedts
Editing Jürgen Buedts
Music Laurent Petitgand
Production Companies Las Belgas Faites un Vœu Sumerian Dream Productions Company
DOCVILLE — International Documentary Film Festival Leuven
2023 | Official Opening Film
Red Sea International Film Festival
2023 | Official Selection
Duhok International Film Festival
2023 | Kurdish Cinema — Feature-Length Documentary Competition
Best Kurdish Documentary
Karama Human Rights Film Festival
2023 | Official Selection
Montevideo World Film Festival — Montecine
2024 | Official Selection — Documentary Competition
Best Documentary Feature
Khouribga International Documentary Film Festival
2024 | Official Selection
Jury Prize
Indian Cine Film Festival — Valencia
2024 | Official Selection
Best International Documentary Film
Travel Film Festival
2024 | Official Selection
Best Travel Cinematography
Babylon Documentary Film Festival
2024 | Official Selection
Best Documentary Film
Xposure International Film Awards
2025 | Documentary Feature Competition
Best Documentary Feature
Amed Film Festival
2025 | International Documentary Selection
Ensor Awards
2024 | Nomination
Best Documentary Film

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