The 1st Baghdad International Film Festival
After the establishment of Iraqi Filmmakers Without Borders organization in 2004 and the announcement of first civil society organization in Iraq concerned with cinema. We wanted to open branches for the organization in the major governorates of Iraq, and to gather the efforts of young’s who concerned with cinema trying to make a change for the first time outside the system of the former state and its monopoly system for culture.
But the efforts failed after the fall of the regime and the emergence of regional, ethnic, national and religious tendencies, and this voice became louder during the first era of Iraq under the American occupation. That is why we focused on highlighting the cultural cinematic presence by establishing Baghdad International Film Festival to be a remarkable cinematic event to respond the violent reality that was created as a result of the occupation, and to show the world a different view to practice our competence and draw attention to the necessity of cinematic life and its active role. The cooperation was with the French Embassy through the French Cultural Institute, for launching the first festival edition also the Artistic Cinematic Magazine “Alam El film”. Seventeen countries participated in this edition, most of which were Arab countries.