Hanging Gardens

Director:
Ahmed Yassin Al Daradji

Genre:
Drama

Year:
2022

Duration:
107 minutes

Rating:
18+

Screenplay: Ahmed Yassin , Margaret Glover

Cast: Wissam Diyaa as Taha , Jawad Al Shakarji as Al Haji , Hussain Muhammad Jalil as As’ad and Akram Mazen Ali as Amir.

Cinematography: Duraid Munajim

Editing: Kamal El Mallakh

Production: Huda Al Kadhimi - Ishtar Iraq Film Production Margaret Glover May Odeh - ODEH FILMS

Awards: Best Film - Red Sea Film Festival - 2022

Début Status: Jordanian Première

Synopsis

As’ad and Taha barely scrape a living as rubbish pickers in ‘Hanging Gardens–’ the local nickname for Baghdad’s smouldering dumps– yet they make the most of what they have. One day, As’ad discovers an American sex doll. When he brings the taboo item home and presents her as a thing of beauty, Taha assaults his little brother for ruining their reputation. Little they know, their whole life will change because of this doll.

Director’s biography

Iraqi Director, Ahmed Yassin is a Berlinale Talents and London Film school alumnus. HIs MA graduation film Children of God (2013) won the Fipresci Award for best Arab short in Dubai Film Festival and best Live Action Short in Seoul Guro. UK-based Stray (2016) premiered in Uub competition at London Short Film Festival and toured internationally. His debut feature, Hanging Gardens, won the Jury of La Biennale di Venezia Prize at Final Cut (2021).