In My Mother's Arms

In My Mother's Arms
Directed by	Atia Al Daradji Mohamed Al-Daradji
Produced by	Isabelle Stead Atia Al Daradji Mohamed Al-Daradji
Written by	Atia Al Daradji Mohamed Al-Daradji
Starring	Husham Al Thabe Saif Slaam Mohamed Wael
Music by	Glenn Freemantle
Edited by	Mohamed Jabara Ian Watson
Release dates	September 13, 2011
Running time	85 minutes
Country	Iraq/Netherlands/UK
Language	Arabic

In My Mother’s Arms (Fi Ahdan Ummi) is a 2011 Iraqi film. Written and directed by Atia Al Daradji and Mohamed Al-Daradji,^[1] it stars Husham Al Thabe, Saif Slaam and Mohamed Wael; and was produced by Isabelle Stead and Atia Al Daradji. The film was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2011.^[2]

Plot

Stead and Draadji filmed Husham Al Thabe Theas as he undertook a nine month journey to support 32 orphans,^[3] and portrays the day-to-day life that these orphans lead in the small house that Husham rents and runs with donations from volunteers who share his intent.^[4] It shows the children laughing and playing, and it shows their times of despair. It portrays the troubles that Husham goes through in order to run his orphanage while supporting his own family.^[5] His troubles multiply when the house-owner asks Husham to leave the house. “In My Mother’s Arms” is the theme song of the film and is sung by the children to distract themselves from their misery.^[6]

Cast

• Husham Al Thabe as Husham Al Thabe
• Saif Slaam as Saif Slaam
• Mohamed Wael as Mohamed Wael

Political Context

After the fall of the Saddam regime and the American invasion of Iraq, hundreds of thousands of orphans had nowhere to go. Husham took it upon himself to support some of them. Living in the dangerous Sadr district of Baghdad, Husham’s experience is portrayed through this film.^[7][8]

The filmmakers

Atia Al Daradji and Mohamed Al-Daradji were born in Baghdad and both have degrees from the Netherlands. They have made several films including Ahlaam (2006), Son of Babylon (2010) and Iraq: War, Love, God,Madness (2010). For the film Son of Babylon, Mohamed Al-Daradji was named Middle East Filmmaker of the Year in 2010.

See also

• Mohamed Al-Daradji
• Son of Babylon
• Humanitarian Crises of the Iraq War
• Cinema of Iraq

External links

• In My Mother's Arms at the Internet Movie Database
• In My Mother's Arms at Rotten Tomatoes

References

^[9]

1. Heath, Glenn. "In My Mother's Arms ". Slant Magazine.
2. "Review: ‘In My Mother’s Arms’". Variety.
3. British Council. "In My Mother's Arms". 9 August 2011. 17 March 2012.
4. "Film Review: In My Mother's Arms". Film Journal International.
5. "Little Lives Caught in a Troubled No Man’s Land". New York Times.
6. "In My Mother’s Arms: How much does one boy’s life matter?". The Globe and Mail.
7. Rotten Tomatoes. In My Mother's Arms. 2011. 17 March 2012 <http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/in_my_mothers_arms>.
8. " In My Mother's Arms". Village Voice
9. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/in-my-mother-arms-film-review-377565