Mohamed Al-Daradji
Encyclopedia
Mohammed Al-Darraji is an Iraqi Dutch film director. Al-Daradji is a dual Dutch-Iraqi citizen. He studied theatre directing in Baghdad
and fled to The Netherlands in 1995, where he specialised as a cameraman. Later he graduated with two MA's in cinematography and directing in Leeds
at The Northern Film School. He created many several short films and commercials winner the Kodak student award for commercials.
In 2005 he established Human Film a Leeds based production company with his producer Isabelle Stead.
One of his first features was Ahlaam, which took him four months to film in 2004, in Baghdad
while the war was going on and it was very difficult to film as electricity would often cut off from time to time. Near to the end of filming, he claims that he and three members of his crew were kidnapped but managed to escape from being killed by insurgents, who accused them of making a propaganda film supporting the U.S.-backed Iraqi government. The captors were preparing to shoot them before they fled from the sound of police sirens. On the same day, they were said to have been abducted again from a Baghdad hospital by another group of gunmen who beat them up and then turned them over to the U.S. military, who held them in harsh conditions for six days on suspicion they were filming insurgent attacks for Al Qaida.
His 2010 film Son of Babylon
that he developed through the Sundance Institute was selected as the Iraqi entry for the Best Foreign Language Film
at the 83rd Academy Awards
, but it did not make the final shortlist.
In 2008, Mohamed became a Sundance fellow.
In 2010 Variety
named Mohamed Al-Daradji The Middle East Filmmaker of the year. "We wanted to honour Mohamed Al Daradji, not because he is a great Middle Eastern filmmaker, but because he is simply a great filmmaker.” (Tim Gray, the editor of Variety
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
and fled to The Netherlands in 1995, where he specialised as a cameraman. Later he graduated with two MA's in cinematography and directing in Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
at The Northern Film School. He created many several short films and commercials winner the Kodak student award for commercials.
In 2005 he established Human Film a Leeds based production company with his producer Isabelle Stead.
One of his first features was Ahlaam, which took him four months to film in 2004, in Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
while the war was going on and it was very difficult to film as electricity would often cut off from time to time. Near to the end of filming, he claims that he and three members of his crew were kidnapped but managed to escape from being killed by insurgents, who accused them of making a propaganda film supporting the U.S.-backed Iraqi government. The captors were preparing to shoot them before they fled from the sound of police sirens. On the same day, they were said to have been abducted again from a Baghdad hospital by another group of gunmen who beat them up and then turned them over to the U.S. military, who held them in harsh conditions for six days on suspicion they were filming insurgent attacks for Al Qaida.
His 2010 film Son of Babylon
Son of Babylon
Son of Babylon is a 2010 Iraqi drama film directed by Mohamed Al-Daradji, Variety's Middle Eastern Filmmaker of the year 2010.The film was developed through The Sundance Institute and was selected as Iraq's official entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 83rd Academy Awards, but it didn't...
that he developed through the Sundance Institute was selected as the Iraqi entry for the Best Foreign Language Film
Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
The Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film is one of the Academy Awards of Merit, popularly known as the Oscars, handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences...
at the 83rd Academy Awards
83rd Academy Awards
The 83rd Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences , honored the best films of 2010 and took place February 27, 2011, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST / 8:30 p.m. EST. During the ceremony, Academy Awards ...
, but it did not make the final shortlist.
In 2008, Mohamed became a Sundance fellow.
In 2010 Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
named Mohamed Al-Daradji The Middle East Filmmaker of the year. "We wanted to honour Mohamed Al Daradji, not because he is a great Middle Eastern filmmaker, but because he is simply a great filmmaker.” (Tim Gray, the editor of Variety
Awards
- 2010 Variety's Middle Eastern Filmmaker of the Year 2010
- 2010 Seattle International Film Festival, Emerging Master
- 2006: Brooklyn International Film FestivalBrooklyn International Film FestivalThe Brooklyn Film Festival ', prior to 2011 called the Brooklyn International Film Festival ' is an independent film festival held every June in Brooklyn, New York...
Spirit Award for Ahlaam