Forget Baghdad

Forget Baghdad: Jews and Arabs – The Iraqi Connection is an engrossing documentary helmed by Swiss-Iraqi filmmaker Samir. Premiered in 2002, the film primarily features Shimon Ballas, Moshe Houri, and Sami Michael. Forget Baghdad is a remarkable journey into the individual and collective experiences of Iraq’s Jewish community, particularly after their immigration to Israel. The film explores ideas of identity, homeland, exile, and assimilation in depth while examining overarching themes of racism, Orientalism, and post-colonialism.

The film opens a dialogue for the struggle of Iraq-born Jews who feel straddled between their two identities: their Arab heritage along with their Jewish roots. This intertwinement is depicted through earnest dialogues and intimate personal anecdotes of the featured subjects. Each leading figure in the film provides a unique perspective on the often-overlooked Arab-Jewish culture and its subsequent effects on their lives post-immigration to Israel.

Shimon Ballas, an acclaimed novelist, provides the narrative with an intellectual angle. His insights speak volumes about the cultural dilemmas that immigrant Jews faced in adapting to a new country while attempting to maintain their original cultural identity. Moshe Houri, a stage actor, brings his personal experiences to the table, imbuing the narrative with emotion and raw sentiment. Finally, Sami Michael, another accomplished author, shares stories reflecting empathy and understanding for the Jews and Arabs trapped in a vortex of political games and societal upheaval.

Forget Baghdad tends to eschew the traditional documentary format, opting instead for a more personal, intimate approach. The film blends interviews, archival footage, and film clips to reconstruct the history of Iraq's Jewish community and their subsequent life in Israel. As a result, the audience is provided an intimate look into the lives and experiences of these people, well beyond cold hard facts and figures.

What makes Forget Baghdad unique is its portrayal of identities: neither solely Iraqi, Israeli, Arab, or Jewish, but a fluid mix of all. As such, the film is a deeply moving account of the difficulties faced by families uprooted and forced to assimilate into a society that is both familiar and strange in many ways.

The central narrative of Forget Baghdad is interspersed with explorations into related themes such as Orientalism, the role of 'The Other,' and the use of colonial attitudes in creating stereotypes. The film reflects the constant ‘othering’ experienced by the migrant Jews in their new homeland, where their Arab identity was considered inferior or unusual.

One of the standout elements of Forget Baghdad is its look into how films from the golden age of Egyptian cinema played significant roles in shaping perceptions about Arabs. It explores how these pieces of pop culture created a Middle-Eastern gaze under the influence of Orientalism.

Performances by various actors channel the collective hurt and history of displaced Iraqi Jews. In this regard, the film doesn't shy away from shedding light on the socio-political implications of such migrations, the cultural clashes, and how assimilation is not always as straightforward as it might seem. It feels deeply personal, yet universal in its appeal as it examines the politics of identity and nationality.

The director, Samir, being an immigrant himself, manages to ask the hard questions and delve deeper into the minutiae of identity dilemmas. His own added layer of context and connection enhances the film's resonance and authenticity.

Underlying its exploration of cultural identity, the film subtly touches upon larger geopolitical issues. It underscores the volatile relationship and tensions between Jews and Arabs on an interpersonal level, reflecting the larger complex political landscape.

Forget Baghdad is a nurture film -- one which requires patience and an open mind to fully appreciate its nuanced storytelling. Its thought-provoking discussions concerning the intertwined cultural identities of Arab-Jews are rare and valuable, offering a unique lens through which to view a complex issue.

Overall, Forget Baghdad manages to weave together personal narratives, socio-political commentary, and a rich tapestry of cultural identities into a compelling and memorable documentary. By bringing to light the often-overlooked stories of Jews who left their homes in Middle-Eastern countries to live in Israel, it offers viewers a fresh perspective on the intricate socio-cultural dynamics of migration and assimilation. This film stands as an invaluable piece of cultural discourse and a heartfelt human story of fragmented identities, reminiscences, and longing for a lost land.