Ahlaam (Dreams) [DVD]

Ahlaam takes us on a journey that begins in a Baghdad psychiatric hospital the night American forces begin their campaign called "Shock and Awe," preparing for the final invasion. As bombs fall silently from the sky, the hospital loses power and two hospital patients (a man and a woman) walk in their cells distraught and stunned, while a young doctor tries to calm the patients and restore power to a building in darkness. We move between the past and present of three Iraqi lives entangled in the chaos created by Saddam's regime and the American war campaign. Awards: 2006: Honorary Award-Leeds International Film Festival 2006: Prix Special Du Jury-Arabe du monde Cinema in Paris 2006: Best Film Award-Indonesian Directors Association at the 1st Jaff 2006: Best Film-International Festival of Blanga Desh Cinema 2006: Best Film-Netpac 2006: Top 10, Audience Choice-Rotterdam International Film Festival 2006: Special Mention-Festroira International Festival of Portugal 2006: Best Spiritual Film-Brooklyn International Film Festival 2006: Best Director-Arsenals International Film Forum Riga, Latvia Festivals Ahlaam debuted at the Cairo International Film Festival, followed by the Rotterdam International Film Festival, and has been screened at over 40 Film Festivals around the world. Represented Iraq in the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 2007 Academy Awards. 2006: Best Actor, Bashir Al-Majid-Cartage Film Festival, Tunisia.