The Presence of Iraq on the Silver Screen
Iraq has faced many challenges and wars since its inception as a nation. Its 20th-century history is marked by conflicts and political turmoil, which still remains a significant issue. The oppression of several ethnic groups, the Iranian war, the Gulf War, and the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003 have left a deep impact on Iraqi society. These incidents have been a subject of many films, some of which have achieved great acclaim for highlighting their plight and struggle. In this article, we will discuss some of Iraq’s intimate incidents that the silver screen has portrayed over the years.
Waltz with Bashir
One of the most celebrated films based on Iraq’s wartime incidents is Waltz with Bashir, directed by Ari Folman. The film is an animated documentary that tells the story of Folman, an Israeli soldier, who suffers from an acute memory lapse about the Lebanon war. He starts to meet his former comrades and interviews them to reconstruct his memory. Through the interviews, he discovers the horrors of the Sabra and Shatila massacre, which was a Palestinian refugee camp attacked by the Lebanese Christian Phalange militias in 1982, killing thousands of people.
This film explores the themes of memory, guilt, and trauma in a post-war scenario. Waltz with Bashir is exceptional in its artistic rendering of violence, trauma, and survival. It won numerous awards and honors, including the Golden Globe for best foreign language film in 2009. It set a new benchmark for animation-based documentaries and depicted an intimate understanding of Iraq’s history that was relatable to its modern audience.
The Hurt Locker
The Hurt Locker is another film that tells Iraq’s story in a different way. Directed by Kathryn Bigelow, the film is a thriller/military drama that won several awards, including the Academy Award for Best Picture. It tells the story of a bomb disposal team deployed in Iraq during the U.S. occupation. The film visually portrays the dangers of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) that posed a significant threat to the U.S. military personnel.
The film is an excellent reflection of the psychological stress that soldiers facing in high-intensity situations, often producing extreme emotional and psychological effects. It highlights how some soldiers often become addicted to the adrenaline rush that comes with close encounters. The Hurt Locker takes an intimate approach to exploring the lives of soldiers in Iraq and how it impacts them in the long term. It is an exceptional depiction of Iraq’s conflict’s human face, which made it a box office hit and a critical success.
Three Kings
Three Kings, directed by David O. Russell, is another film set in Iraq’s post-Gulf War era. It tells the story of four American soldiers who discover a hidden bunker full of gold during the war. They planned to steal the gold for themselves, but then they discovered a group of Iraqi civilians being tortured by Saddam Hussein’s army. This incident shakes them, and they decide to rescue the civilians and give them the gold.
The film explores the themes of greed, exploitation, and the role of the U.S. military in Iraq’s conflicts. It is an engaging and thought-provoking film that provides insight into the irrevocable impact of war on individuals. The film’s approach to Iraq is different, as it portrays Americans’ struggles in the conflict rather than the Iraqis. Through its narrative, it provides a reflection of the U.S. politics and conflict, which gives it an informative value for its audience.
Taxi to the Dark Side
Taxi to the Dark Side is a documentary film directed by Alex Gibney. The film explores the murder of an innocent Afghan taxi driver named Dilawar, who was tortured to death by U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan. The film points out the violation of human rights by the U.S. military during the war on terror, including abuses by military members against prisoners of war and suspected terrorists.
The film presents a gripping argument for the abuse of power against people who were innocent, instead of taking an intimate approach, it exposes the brutality of the U.S. government during the war on terror. It won an Academy Award for Best Documentary and provided audiences with an insight into the horror faced by innocent civilians in the conflict zone.
Conclusion
These films offer different perspectives on Iraq and its people’s intimate lives. Some highlight Iraq’s conflicts and the suffering of its people, while others provide insight into the impact of these conflicts on U.S. military personnel and the government. They all contribute to an in-depth and intimate understanding of Iraq’s history, which continues to pose challenges today. These films show the power of cinema to explore difficult topics and offer insight into the human experience that can inform the international community today.
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