BAGHDAD: In the heart of old Baghdad, legendary movie theaters stand abandoned and shrouded in dust, bearing witness to Iraq’s once-vibrant cultural scene.
A few kilometers away, director Ali Al-Bayati oversees his camera operators as they adjust their lenses for a scene in his upcoming horror film, which he hopes to showcase internationally as a new generation of Iraqi filmmakers drives an industry comeback.
Momentum is building, bolstered by recent international recognition for the Iraqi film “The President’s Cake,” which captures life under crippling sanctions during Saddam Hussein’s rule.
“Reviving the cinema sector in Iraq is not easy, but it is not impossible either,” Bayati told AFP.
For decades, Iraq’s cultural and cinematic scenes flourished.
