Underexposure (2005 film)
Encyclopedia
Underexposure is a 2005 Iraqi film
, in the docufiction
style, written and directed by Oday Rasheed
, produced by Enlil Film and Arts. The story follows a fictional Iraq
i film crew, inspired by the actual crew, that struggles with making a film during the 2003 invasion of Iraq
and subsequent American occupation. It was the first feature film to be shot in Iraq after the beginning of the Iraq War.
, isolated from the world. In Underexposure, a fictional film crew copes with the frustration and fear of the Iraq War in Baghdad by making a movie. Friends, lovers, strangers, and family members are woven together by the complexities of their new reality. Along the way friends die and they encounter resistance from people who do not want to be filmed. Ultimately the burgeoning efforts to make the best of their gruesome reality end in tragedy.
and the first Iraqi film in over a decade to not be censored by the Ba'ath party. Filming was finished in April 2004 and the film was released in June 2005 after post-production was completed in Berlin, Germany, with co-producers Tom Tykwer
and Maria Köpf of X Filme Creative Pool.
Awards:
Cinema of Iraq
The cinema of Iraq went through a downturn under Saddam Hussein's regime. The development of film and film-going in Iraq reflects the drastic historical shifts that Iraq has experienced in the 20th century...
, in the docufiction
Docufiction
Docufiction is a neologism which refers to the cinematographic combination of documentary and fiction. More precisely, it is a documentary contaminated with fictional elements, in real time, filmed when the events take place, and in which someone - the character - plays his own role in real life...
style, written and directed by Oday Rasheed
Oday Rasheed
Oday Rasheed is an Iraqi film director and writer. He studied at the Institute for Electrical Science as well as the Faculty of Applicable Arts in Baghdad, both of which he quit early to dedicate himself to cinema. For a while he worked as freelance writer, writing essays and film reviews in Baghdad...
, produced by Enlil Film and Arts. The story follows a fictional 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....
i film crew, inspired by the actual crew, that struggles with making a film during the 2003 invasion of Iraq
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...
and subsequent American occupation. It was the first feature film to be shot in Iraq after the beginning of the Iraq War.
Plot summary
The title Underexposure is not only a reference to the expired film stock on which the movie was filmed, but a commentary on the lives of a generation of Iraqis who grew up during the Iraq embargoIraq sanctions
The Iraq sanctions were a near-total financial and trade embargo imposed by the United Nations Security Council on the nation of Iraq. They began August 6, 1990, four days after Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, stayed largely in force until May 2003 , and certain portions including reparations to Kuwait...
, isolated from the world. In Underexposure, a fictional film crew copes with the frustration and fear of the Iraq War in Baghdad by making a movie. Friends, lovers, strangers, and family members are woven together by the complexities of their new reality. Along the way friends die and they encounter resistance from people who do not want to be filmed. Ultimately the burgeoning efforts to make the best of their gruesome reality end in tragedy.
Production
Underexposure was shot on expired Kodak film that was bought back from looters in the early days of the American occupation. Underexposure was produced by Enlil Film and Arts, with Producer and Production Designer Majed Rasheed and Executive Producer Furat Al Jamil. Filming began in November 2003 with money that the crew raised by selling their own possessions. Underexposure was the first movie to be filmed in Iraq after the fall of Saddam HusseinSaddam 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...
and the first Iraqi film in over a decade to not be censored by the Ba'ath party. Filming was finished in April 2004 and the film was released in June 2005 after post-production was completed in Berlin, Germany, with co-producers Tom Tykwer
Tom Tykwer
Tom Tykwer is a German film director, screenwriter, and composer. He is best known internationally for directing Run Lola Run , Heaven , Perfume: The Story of a Murderer , and The International ....
and Maria Köpf of X Filme Creative Pool.
Cast
- Samar Qahtan as Hassan, director
- Myriam Abbas as Maysoon, Hassan's wife (also: Meriam Abbas)
- Hussein Abdul-Kareem as Boy
- Yousef al-Any as Abu Shaker (also: Yousif Al-Ani)
- Basim Hajar as Mataz
- Basim Hamad as Soldier
- Hayder Helo as Nasser
- Majed Rasheed as Ziyad
- Muhanad Rasheed as Sound technician
- Awatif Salman as Futha
Crew
- Oday RasheedOday RasheedOday Rasheed is an Iraqi film director and writer. He studied at the Institute for Electrical Science as well as the Faculty of Applicable Arts in Baghdad, both of which he quit early to dedicate himself to cinema. For a while he worked as freelance writer, writing essays and film reviews in Baghdad...
Director / Scriptwriter
- Majed Rasheed Producer / Production Designer
- Furat Al Jamil Executive Producer
- Gabriel YaredGabriel YaredGabriel Yared is a Lebanese composer, best known for his work in French and American cinema.Born in Beirut, Lebanon, his work in France included the scores for Betty Blue and Camille Claudel. He later began working on English language films, particularly those directed by Anthony Minghella...
Original soundtrack composition
- Ziad Turkey Director of Photography / Director / Theatrical Director / Photographer
- Hayder Helo Scriptwriter / Assistant Director / Theatrical Director / Actor
- Murad Atshan Assistant Director / Scriptwriter
- Faris Harram Scriptwriter / Poet
- Osama Rasheed Assistant Director / Graphics Designer
- Fady Fadhil Assistant Cameraman / Graphics Designer
- Muhanad Rasheed Assistant Cameraman / Graphics Designer / Theatrical Dancer
- Dhurgham Abdul-Wahid Art Director Luay Fadhil Assistant Art Director
- Adel Khalid Production Assistant
- Hussein Atshan Production Assistant
- Salam Al-Sukeiny Press Officer
- Yasar Qadir Assistant Press Officer
- Iman Qasim Sound Engineer
- Basim Fahim Camera Mover
- Ammar Al-Asmar Assistant Sound Engineer
- Abbas Al-Dayekh Assistant Camera Mover
Critical reception
Underexposure was shown in film festivals around the world, including The Rotterdam International Film Festival (Netherlands 2005, World Premiere), the Febio Festival (Czech Reupblic 2005), Arab Film Festival Japan (2005), Singapore International Film Festival (2005), Arab Film Festival (Netherlands 2005), Durban International Film Festival (South Africa 2005), Munich Film Festival (Germany 2005), Osians Cinefan Asian Film Festival (India 2005), Alexandria International Film Festival (Egypt 2005), La Mostra de Valencia (Spain 2005). Additionally, Oday Rasheed received numerous awards for his work on Underexposure.Awards:
- Best Film Award, 18th Singapore International Film Festival 2005 (Underexposure)
- Golden Hawk (Best Feature Film), 5th Arab Film Festival, The Netherlands, 2005 (Underexposure)
- Best Script, Wahran International Film Festival, Algeria 2007 (Underexposure)