Underexposure (film)

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Underexposure is a 2005 Iraqi docufiction film written and directed by Oday Rasheed, produced by Enlil Film and Arts. The story follows a fictional Iraqi film crew, inspired by the actual crew, that struggles with making a film at the beginning of the Iraq War and American occupation. It was the first feature film to be shot in Iraq after the begin of the Iraq War.

Plot Summary

The title Underexposure is not only a reference to the expired film stock on which the movie was filmed, but a commentary on the lives of a generation of Iraqis who grew up during the embargo, isolated from the world. In Underexposure, a fictional film team copes with the frustration and fear of the Iraq War in Baghdad by making a movie. Friends, lovers, strangers and family members are woven together by the complexities of their new reality. Along the way friends die and they encounter resistance from people who do not want to be filmed, and ultimately the burgeoning efforts to make the best of their gruesome reality ends in tragedy.

Production

Underexposure was shot on expired Kodak film that was bought back from looters in the early days of the American occupation. Underexposure was produced by Enlil Film and Arts, with Production Designer Majed Rasheed and Executive Producer Furat Al Jamil. Filming began in November 2003 with money that the crew raised by selling their own possessions. Underexposure was the first movie to be filmed in Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein and the first Iraqi film in over a decade to not be censored by the Baath party. Filming was finished in April 2004 and Underexposure was released in June 2005 after post-production was completed in Berlin, Germany, with co-producers Tom Tykwer and Maria Kopf of X Filme Creative Pool.

Cast

Ziad Turkey Director of Photography

Hayder Helo Scriptwriter/AssistantDirector

Murad Atshan Assistant Director / Scriptwriter

Faris Harram Poet / Writer

Osama Rasheed Assistant Director / Graphics Designer

Fady Fadhil Assistant Cameraman / Graphics Designer

Muhanad Rasheed Assistant Cameraman / Graphics Designer

Dhurgham Abdul-Wahid Art Director

Luay Fadhil Assistant Art Director

Majed Rasheed Production Designer

Adel Khalid Musician / Production Assistant

Hussein Atshan Production Assistant

Salam Al-Sukeiny Press Officer

Yasar Qadir Assistant Press Officer

Iman Qasim Sound Engineer Basim Fahim Camera Mover

Ammar Al-Asmar Assistant Sound Engineer

Abbas Al-Dayekh Assistant Camera Mover

Crew

Ziad Turkey Director of Photography / Director / Theatrical Director / Photographer

Hayder Helo Scriptwriter/AssistantDirector / Theatrical Director / Actor

Murad Atshan Assistant Director / Scriptwriter Faris Harram Poet / Writer

Osama Rasheed Assistant Director / Graphics Designer

Fady Fadhil Assistant Cameraman / Graphics Designer

Muhanad Rasheed Assistant Cameraman / Graphics Designer / Theatrical Dancer

Dhurgham Abdul-Wahid Art Director Luay Fadhil Assistant Art Director

Majed Rasheed Production Designer Adel Khalid Musician / Production Assistant

Hussein Atshan Production Assistant Salam Al-Sukeiny Press Officer

Yasar Qadir Assistant Press Officer Iman Qasim Sound Engineer Basim Fahim Camera Mover

Ammar Al-Asmar Assistant Sound Engineer Abbas Al-Dayekh Assistant Camera Mover

Critical Reception

Underexposure was shown in film festivals around the world, including The Rotterdam International Film Festival (Netherlands 2005, World Premiere), the Febio Festival (Czech Reupblic 2005), Arab Film Festival Japan (2005), Singapore International Film Festival (2005), Arab Film Festival (Netherlands 2005), Durban International Film Festival (South Africa 2005), Munich Film Festival (Germany 2005), Osians Cinefan Asian Film Festival (India 2005), Alexandria International Film Festival (Egypt 2005), La Mostra de Valencia (Spain 2005). Additionally, Oday Rasheed received numerous awards for his work on Underexposure.

Awards: