Iraq in Fragments

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Iraq in Fragments

2006

1h 33m

Documentary

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

91%

Tomatometer

65 Reviews

79%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

Filmmaker James Longley's documentary of occupied post-liberation Iraq presents three separate stories that together create a striking portrait of everyday life for average citizens in the war-torn nation. Longley discovers hope, religious dissent and ethnic unrest as he examines the lives of a young boy searching for a father figure in his abusive employer, Shiite Muslims looking to restore religious fundamentalism, and Kurdish farmers uncertain of their place in the new Iraq.

Critics Consensus

A stylistically bold, humanist take on the difficulties of post-invasion Iraq.

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Stanley Kauffmann

The New Republic

02/05/2018

Longley is a film-maker of intelligence and empathy.

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Marrit Ingman

Austin Chronicle

03/17/2007

3.5/5

The technique is more expressionistic than naturalistic, but it makes the film far more vivid and emotionally satisfying.

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Eleanor Ringel Cater

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

03/08/2007

B

The film is both gritty and lyrical, showing how tanks share the Baghdad streets with donkeys as well as the quiet beauty of the Kurdish countryside.

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Tricia Olszewski

Washington City Paper

03/06/2008

Visually, the director's flair is impressive. But Longley's clear intention of using children's faces to better tug at our heartstrings would be more admirable if it didn't feel as shamelessly staged.

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Sean P. Means

Salt Lake Tribune

04/06/2007

3/4

Too bad James Longley couldn't have broadcast this insightful documentary immediately after he shot it in 2003 and 2004.

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Brian Gibson

Vue Weekly (Edmonton, Alberta)

04/01/2007

Bafflingly, the threats in an occupied country consistently come from within, not without or overhead: what has the effect of the US occupation and Hussein's vicious rule been on these people? Offers a fragmented, obscuring picture of Iraq.

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05/24/2014

It is more interesting to watch this along with Iraq's Guns for Hire.

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06/09/2013

Paste top 25 of decade #2

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04/01/2013

a pretty damning patchwork, low-key and intimate humanistic images of hope, chaos, youth, uncertainty. the kids were really cool

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03/09/2013

Great Story Telling For a Documentary, I Think James Longley Had Risk His Life To a Great Dangerous To Capture These Images, The Editing Made This Movie a 5 Stars Film :)

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02/05/2012

A change of view from the people in Iraq.

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01/06/2011

Yet more proof that the US needs to leave Iraq to itself.

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James Longley

Director

James Longley

Producer

John Sinno

Producer

James Longley

Cinematographer

James Longley

Film Editing

Billy McMillin

Film Editing

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Synopsis

Filmmaker James Longley's documentary of occupied post-liberation Iraq presents three separate stories that together create a striking portrait of everyday life for average citizens in the war-torn nation. Longley discovers hope, religious dissent and ethnic unrest as he examines the lives of a young boy searching for a father figure in his abusive employer, Shiite Muslims looking to restore religious fundamentalism, and Kurdish farmers uncertain of their place in the new Iraq.

Director: James Longley
Producer: James Longley, John Sinno
Distributor: Typecast Films
Production Co: HBO Films, Typecast Pictures, Daylight Factory
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: Arabic
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 8, 2006, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 17, 2020
Box Office (Gross USA): $55.1K
Runtime: 1h 33m