MIT Lecture Series Committee

52 minutes

My Home: Your War (2007)

Center for International Studies Film Series 2008: Women and the Middle East

This Spring CIS presents three films from the Middle East, based in Algeria/France, Israel/The Golan Heights and Iraq before, during and after the US invasion and war in 2003. The films focus on the lives of three women, linked together by their Middle Eastern identity and a variety of challenging issues. They are portrayed while following their life paths amidst the political and social trials common to the region. Meriam Belli, Anat Biletzki and Ban Al-Mahfodh from MIT will discuss some background aspects to the three films presented (respectively). They will aim to examine the socio-political context that Middle Eastern women are facing in the region. Both the films and speakers will attempt to throw light on their roles as women within the context of the trying circumstances of isolation, tribulation and modern warfare, while holding on to freedom of spirit.

Shot in Baghdad over three years that span the time before, during and after the invasion of Iraq, this profoundly moving film brings a perspective that has rarely been available to U.S. audiences. It combines insightful interviews with Layla Hassan and her family, vibrant scenes of Baghdad and intimate footage shot by Layla herself to paint a compelling picture of how the war has affected average Iraqis. As Islamic fundamentalism takes hold in the chaos of Baghdad, her shy teenage son turns to militancy, her once-progressive sister dons the veil, and whatever freedom Layla once had under Saddam Hussein's secular rule is steadily being eroded. [web.mit.edu]

Examining the film will be Ban Al-Mahfodh, Program Coordinator at CIS.