Doha Film Institute
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Tariq, the sniper of Haifa Street in Baghdad, kills Ahmed on the day he intends to propose marriage. While Tariq prevents anyone from approaching the corpse in the street, an intimate and telling drama unfolds.
Haifa Street, one of the most dangerous locations during the civil war in Baghdad, in 2006. Tariq, a 23-year-old sniper, kills 45-year-old Ahmed in front of the home of Su’ad when he comes to ask for her hand in marriage. Tariq prevents anyone from reaching Ahmed’s corpse – including Su’ad and her children, Salam and Nadia. As the family faces the arduous task of recovering Ahmed’s body, the conflicts among Su’ad, Salam – a devout Muslim who rejects the idea of his mother’s remarrying – and Nadia, who is torn between personal ambitions of liberation from male power and her sympathy for her mother. This family drama is set against the question of why Tariq refuses to allow Su’ad to recover the body of her beloved.

Credits

Director
Mohanad Hayal
Screenwriter
Mohanad Hayal
Producer
Mohanad Hayal, Hala AlSalman
Production Company
Dream Group

About the Director

Mohanad Hayal
Mohanad Hayal was born in 1985 in Iraq. After graduating from Baghdad University’s Faculty of Fine Arts in cinema, he gained considerable experience working as assistant director on many Arabic feature films. He has made a number of short and documentary films. His film ‘Happy Birthday’ was selected for the 2013 Berlin International Film Festival and received the Rising Star Award at the 2013 Rhod
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