| Description |
1 online resource (streaming video file) (1 hr. 28 min. 13 sec.) ; 518029976 bytes |
| Summary |
This documentary follows the journey of a young Iraqi student, plucked from the rubble of Baghdad by Hollywood star, Liev Schrieber who offers him the chance to fulfil his dream of becoming a filmmaker. Director Nina Davenport was called on to document the young man's experience on set. However what starts as a simple gesture of kindness and a month's worth of filming evolves into a complicated relationship between filmmaker and her subject that lasts over a year and a half. In the wake of the War in Iraq, MTV produced a short documentary which focused on US soldier's life in Baghdad. Also featured in the TV special was a short interview with Iraqi film student, Muthana Mohmed, who spoke of how his dream to become a filmmaker had been shattered after a bomb raid destroyed his film school.American actor and director Liev Schreiber saw the documentary and was moved by the young man's spirit and determination which led him to an idealistic notion - to rescue the student from the rubble of his country and offer him an opportunity to be an intern on the Hollywood movie he was directing in Prague - Everything Is Illuminated. It promised to be a heart-warming tale, a small victory out of the troubled mission of the U.S. war in Iraq. However, like the war has shown, "good" intentions can yield unintended consequences, and even this operation doesn't go according to plan. Living away from home proves to be tough for Muthana and the difficulty of watching his home town being bombed by night and then rubbing shoulders with Elijah Wood and Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson by day is difficult for the young man to adjust to. As the months roll on it becomes increasingly harder for charitable efforts to continue, especially when it seems that Muthana solely relies on others to bail him out of financial issues, problems with Visa's, and unsatisfactory work output.Director Nina Davenport becomes personally involved in Muthana's wellbeing and soon finds herself embroiled in a complex moral quagmire and an all-consuming power struggle between filmmaker and subject. Operation Filmmaker has been selected to screen at multiple film festivals around the world picking up jury and audience awards for best documentary along the way. The film also had its US Theatrical debut in June this year. (From the US, in English and Arabic, English subtitles) (Documentary) |
| Notes |
Closed captioning in English |
| Event |
Broadcast 2010-08-18 at 00:40:00 |
| Notes |
Classification: M |
| Subject |
Foreign films.
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Mohmed, Muthana.
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Motion picture producers and directors.
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Motion pictures -- Production and direction.
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Young men -- Conduct of life.
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| Form |
Streaming video
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| Author |
Davenport, Nina, director
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