film screening
Said Effendi, 1957
By Kameran Hassani

Tuesday, 8 June 2010

“Said Effendi” is inspired by the novel titled “Arak” (Fight), which was written by the late Iraqi novelist Edmone Sabri, in which a dispute between neighbours erupts due to a simple problem which spirals out of control, but where nevertheless, at the end, the spirit of tolerance and harmony among the people of the neighbourhood eventually prevails.

The scenes were filmed in the Baghdadi alleys of “Al-Haidar Khana” and “Al-Rashid Street” in the style of neorealist Italian cinema. It presents a picture of the living conditions of a typical Baghdadi neighborhood, depicting the social relations, daily life, and child’s play as a background to the drama. “Said Effendi” achieved outstanding success and admiration from both the audience and critics. The film participated in numerous international festivals including the Moscow International Film Festival (1958).

Kameran Hassani was born in Nasiriya in 1927. He attained both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in cinema from the University of California. Hassani became a prominent name in Iraqi cinema upon his return from America the mid fifties, during which he published the magazine titled “Cinema” which captivated wide audiences and became a great success. During his stay in Baghdad, Hassani produced two films: “Mashrou’ Al Zawaj” (1962), and “Ghurfa Raqam 7” (1966). He left Iraq for America where he died in 2006.

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