Film
Our River Our Sky (12A)
PROGRAMME UPDATE 02/11/23: We’re sorry to announce that film director Maysoon Pachachi is no longer able to attend tonight’s screening of Our River… Our Sky, unfortunately her train from London has been cancelled due to storm Ciarán. The screening is still going ahead but there will be no Q&A afterwards. The film will start at 8pm.
Dir. Maysoon Pachachi, UK/France/Kuwait/UAE/Qatar, 2021, 117 mins, Arabic with English subtitles. Cast. Zainab Joda, Darina Al Joundi, Amed Hashimi, Mahmoud Abo Al Abbas, Basim Hajar, Labwa Arab, Meriam Abbas, Siham Mustafa.
This special release marks 20 years since the invasion of Iraq. Set in 2006 against the backdrop of intense sectarian war, Our River… Our Sky follows the stories of a small Baghdad community trying to find some semblance of normality and hope despite unpredictable violence, turmoil, and loss.
Sara is a single mother and a novelist. As her daughter Reema sleeps fitfully against the not-so-distant noise of mortars and gunfire, she’s unable to write. When her closest friend and neighbour, Sabiha, is forced into exile, Sara begins to fight back and recover a sense of defiance. But as the random killing escalates and gets closer to home, she begins to look for a way out for herself and her daughter. Sara and her neighbours invite us into their everyday lives as their world fragments. Through the chaos and destruction, the residents never let their hopes for the future fade. Yet, they can’t help but contemplate leaving Iraq, and are forced to ask a painful question – who does Baghdad really belong to?
The preview screening on Wednesday 18 October will be introduced by Plymouth Amnesty International, a local group of volunteers who campaign for the rights of civilians indiscriminately targeted in wars and the rights of refugees forced to flee situations like this. Find out more about Plymouth Amnesty International and how to join at the screening.
For detailed information about the film's age rating and content notices, you can visit the BBFC website and search the film title, then scroll down to the “Content Advice” section: www.bbfc.co.uk
Dir. Maysoon Pachachi, UK/France/Kuwait/UAE/Qatar, 2021, 117 mins, Arabic with English subtitles. Cast. Zainab Joda, Darina Al Joundi, Amed Hashimi, Mahmoud Abo Al Abbas, Basim Hajar, Labwa Arab, Meriam Abbas, Siham Mustafa.
This special release marks 20 years since the invasion of Iraq. Set in 2006 against the backdrop of intense sectarian war, Our River… Our Sky follows the stories of a small Baghdad community trying to find some semblance of normality and hope despite unpredictable violence, turmoil, and loss.
Sara is a single mother and a novelist. As her daughter Reema sleeps fitfully against the not-so-distant noise of mortars and gunfire, she’s unable to write. When her closest friend and neighbour, Sabiha, is forced into exile, Sara begins to fight back and recover a sense of defiance. But as the random killing escalates and gets closer to home, she begins to look for a way out for herself and her daughter. Sara and her neighbours invite us into their everyday lives as their world fragments. Through the chaos and destruction, the residents never let their hopes for the future fade. Yet, they can’t help but contemplate leaving Iraq, and are forced to ask a painful question – who does Baghdad really belong to?
The preview screening on Wednesday 18 October will be introduced by Plymouth Amnesty International, a local group of volunteers who campaign for the rights of civilians indiscriminately targeted in wars and the rights of refugees forced to flee situations like this. Find out more about Plymouth Amnesty International and how to join at the screening.
For detailed information about the film's age rating and content notices, you can visit the BBFC website and search the film title, then scroll down to the “Content Advice” section: www.bbfc.co.uk