DUHOK, Kurdistan Region — An award-winning short film is being adapted into a full-length feature film, once again being shot in the Kurdistan Region.
'Baghdad Messi' shows how violence has failed to dash Iraqi children’s hope and passion for football.
Now eighteen years old, Ali al-Zaidawi, who also starred in the short 19-minute version, will once again be cast in his role.
Zaidawi, who plays a character named Hamoudi, plays football despite having a leg amputated due to violence in Baghdad.
“This movie is of great importance to Kurdish cinema because we have decided to entirely film it in the Kurdistan Region,” said award-winning Kurdish filmmaker, Sehim Omar Khalifa, the director of the film.
“We will spend half a million dollars on the technical work. Our actors are all from Kurdistan. Kurdish cinema will strongly benefit from it,” Khalifa explained.
Khalifa has been working on the film’s screenplay for seven years.
They have been filming in the Kurdistan Region for 14 hours a day for the last 45 days. With the involvement of a 120-member crew, the film is being produced by Mitosfilm, an independent Berlin-based production company.
The production of the film is being financially supported by Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany according to Mitosfilm.
“Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany as well as the Kurdistan Region are involved in the production of this movie," said Mehmet Aktas, the owner of Mitosfilm.
“As the Mitosfilm company, we have so far brought European Production to Kurdistan and this team is part of that. I hope the longer version of this film will echo across the world and mark a success for Kurdish cinema on an international level.”
“This is the third time that we shoot in Kurdistan,” said the Producer of Baghdad Messi, Hendrik Verthe.
“The first time we shot in Kurdistan was in 2009 already...and another time in 2012 and we are very happy we are back again because the last time was for the short film, Baghdad Messi. Now we are shooting the feature film of the same name,” Verthe added.
Translation by Zhelwan Zeyad Wali
Video editing by Sarkawt Mohammed
