DIRECTOR: Sahim Omar Kalifa
STARRING: Ahmed Mohamed Abdullah, Atheer Adel, Zahraa Ghandour
RUNNING TIME: 1 hr 23 minutes
LANGUAGE: Arabic, Kurdish
The talented Hamoudi is an 11 year old boy with a passion for soccer and an ultimate dream to one day reach the level of his idol Lionel Messi. The day Hamoudi is caught in a horrific suicide attempt, he wakes up severely injured in a hospital. As his parents struggle to keep the family safe, Hamoudi is determined to fight for his shattered dream.
***
Baghdad Messi is the newest film from director Sahim Omar Kalifa. Two of Khalifa’s short films have been among the final 10 films shortlisted for the Live Action Shorts category in the Oscars race: Baghdad Messi in 2014, and Bad Hunter in 2016. He is the only director from Iraq to achieve the feat. Baghdad Messi is now the feature length film based from his short film in 2014. The film debuted at the Oostende Film Festival in January 2023. It also won Best Feature at the Arpa International Film Festival.
The Iraqi culture ministry’s cinema and theater foundation said that the film was selected by an independent committee after meeting the requirements for the prestigious award.
The film was produced by A Team Productions, as well as 10:80 Films, Column Film and Mitos Film.
Baghdad Messi is a drama and filmed in Baghdad and Erbil, Iraq.
To check out all previous submissions for Iraq, click HERE.
STARRING: Ahmed Mohamed Abdullah, Atheer Adel, Zahraa Ghandour
RUNNING TIME: 1 hr 23 minutes
LANGUAGE: Arabic, Kurdish
The talented Hamoudi is an 11 year old boy with a passion for soccer and an ultimate dream to one day reach the level of his idol Lionel Messi. The day Hamoudi is caught in a horrific suicide attempt, he wakes up severely injured in a hospital. As his parents struggle to keep the family safe, Hamoudi is determined to fight for his shattered dream.
***
Baghdad Messi is the newest film from director Sahim Omar Kalifa. Two of Khalifa’s short films have been among the final 10 films shortlisted for the Live Action Shorts category in the Oscars race: Baghdad Messi in 2014, and Bad Hunter in 2016. He is the only director from Iraq to achieve the feat. Baghdad Messi is now the feature length film based from his short film in 2014. The film debuted at the Oostende Film Festival in January 2023. It also won Best Feature at the Arpa International Film Festival.
The Iraqi culture ministry’s cinema and theater foundation said that the film was selected by an independent committee after meeting the requirements for the prestigious award.
The film was produced by A Team Productions, as well as 10:80 Films, Column Film and Mitos Film.
Baghdad Messi is a drama and filmed in Baghdad and Erbil, Iraq.
To check out all previous submissions for Iraq, click HERE.
FILM REVIEW:
(This review contains spoilers.)
“Will I be able to play soccer again?”
Baghdad Messi, directed by Sahim Omar Kalifa, is a film that captures the tragedy and resilience of a young boy, Hamoudi, who loses a leg in the midst of a war-torn Baghdad yet holds onto his dream of playing soccer like his hero, Lionel Messi. The film, set in 2009, during the sixth year of the Iraq War, paints a vivid picture of a society fractured by occupation and sectarian violence. In this bleak reality, Hamoudi’s passion for football becomes a rare source of light and hope.
As captain of his soccer team, Hamoudi is not only a symbol of youthful ambition but also a beacon for his friends who gather in the bombed-out streets to play. But when an explosion takes his leg, the family's move to a small town for safety reflects the greater displacement experienced by millions of Iraqis. Despite his physical loss, Hamoudi's spirit remains unbroken, as he clings to the possibility of playing again, a sentiment that mirrors the resilience of Iraqis trying to rebuild their lives amidst destruction.
Kalifa’s direction brings both nuance and depth to the story, using Hamoudi’s personal tragedy as a lens to explore the broader social and political turmoil of Iraq during this period. The tension between Hamoudi’s Shiite father and the Sunni village they move to, combined with his father's role as a translator for American forces, illustrates the deep fractures in Iraqi society.
At the heart of the film is young Ahmed Mohamed Abdullah, whose portrayal of Hamoudi is both heart-wrenching and inspiring. His performance lends authenticity to the story, drawing viewers into the internal struggle of a boy determined to reclaim his dream, even in a reality where such dreams seem impossible.
In Baghdad Messi, the film doesn’t just tell the story of a young boy’s love for soccer; it also offers a poignant commentary on survival, loss, and hope in a broken nation. Through Hamoudi’s journey, Kalifa shows that even in the most devastating circumstances, the human spirit can remain resilient, much like the love that the world has for the great Lionel Messi.
REVIEW: B
(This review contains spoilers.)
“Will I be able to play soccer again?”
Baghdad Messi, directed by Sahim Omar Kalifa, is a film that captures the tragedy and resilience of a young boy, Hamoudi, who loses a leg in the midst of a war-torn Baghdad yet holds onto his dream of playing soccer like his hero, Lionel Messi. The film, set in 2009, during the sixth year of the Iraq War, paints a vivid picture of a society fractured by occupation and sectarian violence. In this bleak reality, Hamoudi’s passion for football becomes a rare source of light and hope.
As captain of his soccer team, Hamoudi is not only a symbol of youthful ambition but also a beacon for his friends who gather in the bombed-out streets to play. But when an explosion takes his leg, the family's move to a small town for safety reflects the greater displacement experienced by millions of Iraqis. Despite his physical loss, Hamoudi's spirit remains unbroken, as he clings to the possibility of playing again, a sentiment that mirrors the resilience of Iraqis trying to rebuild their lives amidst destruction.
Kalifa’s direction brings both nuance and depth to the story, using Hamoudi’s personal tragedy as a lens to explore the broader social and political turmoil of Iraq during this period. The tension between Hamoudi’s Shiite father and the Sunni village they move to, combined with his father's role as a translator for American forces, illustrates the deep fractures in Iraqi society.
At the heart of the film is young Ahmed Mohamed Abdullah, whose portrayal of Hamoudi is both heart-wrenching and inspiring. His performance lends authenticity to the story, drawing viewers into the internal struggle of a boy determined to reclaim his dream, even in a reality where such dreams seem impossible.
In Baghdad Messi, the film doesn’t just tell the story of a young boy’s love for soccer; it also offers a poignant commentary on survival, loss, and hope in a broken nation. Through Hamoudi’s journey, Kalifa shows that even in the most devastating circumstances, the human spirit can remain resilient, much like the love that the world has for the great Lionel Messi.
REVIEW: B
