PyraMovies Co-Production ’Son of Babylon’, directed by Iraqi filmmaker Mohamed Al-Daradji, will have its international premiere at the Sundance Film Festival to be held in Utah from January 21 to 31, 2010.
’Son of Babylon’ will compete in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition and is to compete as the only Arab film in its category, competing against films from countries such as Canada, UK, and Spain.
The film begins in Northern Iraq in 2003, 3 weeks after the fall of Saddam Hussein.’ Ahmed a 12-year-old Kurdish boy begrudgingly follows in the shadow of his grandmother who on hearing the news that prisoners of war have been found alive in the South, is determined to discover the fate of her missing son, Ahmed’s father, who never returned from the Gulf War in 1991.
From the mountains of the North to the sands of Babylon, they hitch rides with strangers and cross paths with fellow pilgrims on all too similar journeys.’ Struggling to understand his grandmother’s search, Ahmed follows in the forgotten footsteps of a father he never knew, leading the boy to the coming of age.
PyraMovies, the film development and funding arm of Pyramedia, joined forces with production companies Human Film (UK + NL), and Iraq Al-Rafidain (Iraq) in co-producing the 90 minute feature film earlier this year.’ Nashwa Al Ruwaini, CEO of Pyramedia, is also an Executive Producer of Al-Daradji’s film.’ Al Ruwaini quotes, " This is excellent news for Arab cinema and we hope that at Sundance the film will achieve the international exposure it deserves." I hope that the film goes on to screen at many other festivals in the future too.’
’Son of Babylon’ is Al-Daradji’s second feature length film, his first feature, Ahlaam, was screened at over 125 international film festivals and received more than 22 Awards also representing Iraq for the Oscar and Golden Globe Awards in 2007. The film is a Co-production between different countries including Iraq, UAE, Palestine, UK, France and Holland,’with support from organizations including the Sundance Institute, UK Film Council and CNC France. The film’s world sales agent is Roissy Film (FR) and it’s Arab world distributor is Sunnyland ART (Egypt).
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