Nice Bombs
Encyclopedia
Nice Bombs is a 2006 documentary
directed by Iraqi-American filmmaker Usama Alshaibi
about his return to his home country to visit his family after the 2003 invasion of
Iraq
. The film is co-produced by Alshaibi's wife Kristie Alshaibi and co-executive produced by Studs Terkel
.
to visit the family he hasn't seen in over two decades. He makes the trip with his wife, Kristie, in tow.
Although Saddam Hussein
had been captured by American forces in December, Baghdad is in a state of extreme turmoil with massive explosions a daily, frightening occurrence. Yet, Usama and Kristie are surprised by his family's nonchalance at the chaos. When a bomb blows up and rocks the entire house, Usama's cousin Tareef refers to the explosive device as a "nice bomb," hence the film's title.
where it won the Best Documentary award, which was especially fitting since Alshaibi has worked as a filmmaker primarily out of Chicago
. Nice Bombs was theatrically released in New York at Two Boots Pioneer Theater and Chicago a the Gene Siskel Film Center
. The film also screened at the 2007 New York Underground Film Festival
and made its broadcast debut on the Sundance Channel in March 2008. The DVD distributor Cinema Obscura released Nice Bombs on DVD on October 27, 2009.
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
directed by Iraqi-American filmmaker Usama Alshaibi
Usama Alshaibi
Usama Alshaibi is an Iraqi-American independent filmmaker and visual artist.Starting in early 2004, Alshaibi worked on a documentary on his homeland, and its current situation, titled Nice Bombs...
about his return to his home country to visit his family after the 2003 invasion of
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. The film is co-produced by Alshaibi's wife Kristie Alshaibi and co-executive produced by Studs Terkel
Studs Terkel
Louis "Studs" Terkel was an American author, historian, actor, and broadcaster. He received the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction in 1985 for The Good War, and is best remembered for his oral histories of common Americans, and for hosting a long-running radio show in Chicago.-Early...
.
Synopsis
In January 2004, shortly after officially becoming an American citizen, the Iraqi-born filmmaker Usama Alshaibi travels to BaghdadBaghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
to visit the family he hasn't seen in over two decades. He makes the trip with his wife, Kristie, in tow.
Although Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
had been captured by American forces in December, Baghdad is in a state of extreme turmoil with massive explosions a daily, frightening occurrence. Yet, Usama and Kristie are surprised by his family's nonchalance at the chaos. When a bomb blows up and rocks the entire house, Usama's cousin Tareef refers to the explosive device as a "nice bomb," hence the film's title.
Release
Nice Bombs made its World Premiere at the 2006 Chicago Underground Film FestivalChicago Underground Film Festival
Chicago Underground Film Festival, founded in 1994, occurs each spring at various venues in Chicago, Illinois in the USA.Over the last 18 years it has become one of the most respected festivals in the USA and is today well attended by critics and programers. The festival's stated goal is "to focus...
where it won the Best Documentary award, which was especially fitting since Alshaibi has worked as a filmmaker primarily out of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. Nice Bombs was theatrically released in New York at Two Boots Pioneer Theater and Chicago a the Gene Siskel Film Center
Gene Siskel Film Center
"The Film Center" redirects here. Not to be confused with the Film Center Building in New York CityThe Gene Siskel Film Center, formerly The Film Center of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and commonly referred to as The Film Center or The Gene Siskel, is the cinematheque attached to The...
. The film also screened at the 2007 New York Underground Film Festival
New York Underground Film Festival
Founded in 1994 by filmmakers Todd Phillips and Andrew Gurland, the New York Underground Film Festival was an annual event that occurred each March at Anthology Film Archives in New York City from 1994 through 2008...
and made its broadcast debut on the Sundance Channel in March 2008. The DVD distributor Cinema Obscura released Nice Bombs on DVD on October 27, 2009.