Ahmed Yassin Al Daradji is known for “Children of God” (2013) and “Stray” (2018), he is an Iraqi writer and director, and an alumnus of Berlinale Talents. He received a distinction MA in Filmmaking at the London Film School, and has earned the Muhr; the Fabrisci Award; and the Seoul Guro for best live-action short in 2015.
Hussain Muhammad Jalil acted for the first time in “Hanging Gardens” at the age of 13 at the time (15 when this interview was conducted.
On the occasion of “Hanging Gardens” screening at Red Sea International Film Festival, where it won the Golden Yusr for Best Movie and the award for Achievement in Cinematography, we talk with them about the unique story of the film, Americans and Iraq, the casting and the last scene.
Hanging Gardens screened at Red Sea International Film Festival
I have seen many movies with pimps, but never one about a kid pimping a sex doll. How did you come up with this idea?
Ahmed Yassin Al Daradji: (laughter) It is based on a true story in a way. I was back in Baghdad back in 2006-2007 during the Sectarian War and the American force existed very heavily in Iraq. Iraq was under blockade, sanctions basically from 1991 until 2003, and it was then the Americans came and brought everything with them in a way. At the time, I was waiting outside for a friend of mine at Baghdad university; he was running late and militia was on the streets, a lot of weapons were circulating and people were fighting each other. He appeared with a plastic bag in his hands, and I asked him why he was late. He told me to come to the toilet, and in there, he opened the plastic bag and he revealed a sex toy inside. It had a circle, like a car's steering wheel and a vagina in the middle. For us Iraqis born and raised in Iraq, it was such a sight, the first time I ever saw something like that. Boys started using it and the toy became very famous in the university of Baghdad. At one point, one friend of ours called and asked us to take it from him because he was in trouble. We went to his house and he brought the toy. What he did was that he used it, then washed it with hot water and toy completely shrunk, like a Sméagol face (laughter)
Check the review of the film
That is where the story started for me in a way, although what instigated me to write “Hanging Gardens” is the American movie, “The Sniper”. That movie really upsetted me as an Iraqi, seeing an American soldier, a sniper killing Iraqis that were accused of being terrorists or whatever they perceive the Iraqis of being in the end of the day. It always hurts me how the Americans, military-wise, they sexualize war. They promote war in that fashion. The film angered me so much that I went back and started writing “Hanging Gardens”
How do you feel playing someone who pimps a doll?
Hussain Muhammad Jalil: First, you can get very rich having a doll like this in Baghdad (laughter). I loved the story and I trusted the director and the story.
Will you use a sex doll in the future?
Jalil (laughter): I will but nobody will know (laughter) I might, yes.
What was the casting like, how did you choose Hussain?
Al Daradji: That was a mission. It took me three months looking around for the character of As'ad. Six weeks before the shooting I found Hussain, a friend brought him. Hussain is from a middle class family, his family were in Turkey, he is a bit educated and three weeks before the shooting, I was not sure if he was right for the character. I took him to the location, it was such hard work and I did not have that many options actually, because he is the only one whose family did not intervene with the shooting. They did not ask that many questions and they gave me full permission to deal with Hussain. They were not worried for religious reasons, what is really handcuffing people in a way in Iraq or the big barrier if you prefer, are the social norms. They are much stronger than religion in a way. His family gave me the freedom, though, and I worked really hard to bring him into that stage, where he is As'ad.
Have his parents watched the movie?
Not yet, but they know what it is about, they were with us 24/7.
Will there be issues if the movie screens in Iraq?
Jalil: I think it will be fine.
Al Daradji: That answer surprises me actually, but I guess this is because he belongs to the new generation of Iraqis. I think it will create much discussion, we have broken so many barriers that the film will divide people in a way. We will definitely go for screening in the country, though, next year. I believe that Iraq is going through a transitional period and the post-war generation are much more free, they are not radicalizing towards the left or the right and they are much more developed. I think it will be fine and I am happy to defend him. I am a person who was kidnapped twice in Iraq, I have a bullet in my leg, I was arrested and stayed ten days in an American prison, so I have seen it all. The price of the freedom of being able to tell your own story, your opinion is something we Iraqis, at least the new generation, paid so much for. The only thing that we achieved is the freedom of speech and being yourself.
Can you tell me a bit about that last scene with the fires?
Al Daradji: I am curious to hear your opinion at some point, about how you received it. I think the situation in Iraq is vague now. What I really wanted to have at the last moment was to have As'ad as a winner, someone who won himself. He could really handle the situation but he won his freedom and individuality in a way.
The future of Iraq is not clear for us, but I believe and hope that we are moving towards somewhere and I am optimistic about having a much more stable country, this is also something I wanted to show with the ending.
Were you afraid during the shooting of the scene?
Jalil: I was not scared but I was upset, because it was the last scene of the film and I have gotten so attached with the cast and crew.
