Dearth in public funding for arts
Young Samawah filmmaker sells car to fund short film
SAMAWAH — The Samawah community gathered for a Ramadan evening event to celebrate the screening of “Karrar,” a short narrative film by young director Hisham Al-Baqir. The 20-minute film, completed over a year, explores themes of rejecting vengeance and the importance of legal justice.
Al-Baqir told 964media that he had sold his car to fund the film’s production.
The screening attracted directors, artists, and actors involved in the film and featured a panel discussion.
Al-Baqir received minimal financial support from the Artists’ Union, 200,000 Iraqi dinars (about $137), far less than the $3,500 production costs. Consequently, he sold his vehicle to buy necessary equipment such as cameras and lighting.
The entire crew and cast volunteered, “driven by a shared passion for cinema and filmmaking,” Al-Baqir said.
Fellow director Hasan Al-Azzawi lauded “Karrar” for its “beautiful portrayal of Iraqi reality” and stressed the importance of such events in evaluating directors’ work through audience and critic feedback.
He pointed out the challenges independent directors face, including a lack of financial and production support from the Ministry of Culture or other government entities, highlighting the broader issue of arts funding in Iraq.