COMMENTARY: Hello again. Today I want to take you out with me on a search for something more uplifting than the constant stream of bad news or just simply things that would give you a break from the daily horrors, a bit of escapism.
SO HERE IS ..
The Salam Pax guide to Fun things to do in Baghdad.
COMMENTARY: My personal favourite forms of escapism are - in order of preference - pop music, television and art.So I went out looking for what there is in Baghdad these days.
SALAM LOOKING AT INTERNET PICS AND VIDEOSALAM ON COMPUTER READING PICTURES OF MUSIC SHOP
COMMENTARY: I quickly hit a wall with Iraqi pop music. Many music shops have been closed in Baghdad because of death threats.The environment of Islamic extremism we live in today means that music is yes - haram thats forbidden for you non muslims watching. And the selling of music has been deemed offensive to Islam
Why I hear you ask let me show you one esteemed Islamic scholars reasoning Sheikh Ahmad Kutty in Toronto, Canada tells us that Western Music is associated with the diseases of the soul hmmm Well that is one scholars opinion and a controversial issue. But when I went to visit one of Iraqs most famous record shops I found out they were reduced to a single outlet. And they were too afraid to talk to me because of death threats.What you find on the shelves are arab artists but very few Iraqi singers. Those who still want to record travel abroad and find other production companies. No chance of escapism here, pop in Baghdad is dead. On to the next tv
COMMENTARY: One area entertainment that has blossomed since the fall of Saddam is soap opera TV. we all love to watch Iraqi soapsUP SOT SUBTITLESLets forget what happened and start afreshSo here I am on the set of a Baghdadi soap opera.
UP SOT SUBTITLES: Two shot, a big two shot, then you go down for a medium close up.
COMMENTARY: With 12 new channels there is a lot of (choice) and Alsumeria, one of the new local channels has 4 productions on the go at the moment. But only one is being made in Baghdad because its too dangerous for most people.
COMMENTARY: The drama is called Orchestra and it is about a family that has been through the last three wars, about their struggle to survive and how we all crave a bit of peace and freedom. We join them as Asal talks to her mom about moving to her new martial home. Like most girls shes got some pre-wedding jitters.
SUBTITLES ACTUALITY: Anyway, you must send my sister with me to help arrange the furniture.I cant do it on my own.
COMMENTARY: The drama is being directed by Iltifat Aziz who was a household name as an actress before she moved behind the camera, I asked her about what it was like to make a drama in post war Baghdad
ASTONILTIFAT AZIZ Director: Orchestra ILTIFAT AZIZ (VOICED)Sometimes we have to wait hours for one of the actors because of a curfew or an explosion somewhere. It is like a race with electricity to get a shot done and if we use generators the costs are huge.
COMMENTARY: Iltifat Aziz also worries about the whole crews safety. They are mainly women and if you look around you will see only one is veiled. The atmosphere on the set is more relaxed than most work places in Baghdad these days. And they dont tell too many people where they film.But I can show you this building because it was only a temporary location.Aziz comes into work wearing hijab and Jubba to hide the fact that she actually wears trousers. And when I did the interview with her she felt the need to wear a headscarf.
ILTIFAT AZIZ (VOICED)Working here is like suicide, death awaits you at any moment. But there is no other way, would we want to sit at home. We all have to work, all of us men and women.
COMMENTARY: So despite all the difficulties this crew are here for 60 days filming 30 episodes of Orchestra. And we all love to watch these soap operas. It is almost perfect escapism. But on the set itself our violent realities are all too present. UPSOTDistant boomWhen a bomb went off nearby they just paused for a heartbeat and then carried on.Iltifat keeps them very focussed here, the show must go on
ON THE STREETS
COMMENTARY: A couple of days later I went out again to find the next item on my list, an art gallery. But on my way I heard that a car bomb had gone off in the shopping district of Karada, and I went there to find out what had happened. We had hoped that the violence would decrease with time but it seems it has a momentum of its own now.
VOX MAN ON STREET (VOICED)About seven died yesterday, just like that, three died by the house and two here. It was a car, a big car.
COMMENTARY: People were shocked when the car bomb went off here because this area, Karada is a highly popular shopping district and has always been thought to be one of the safer places in Baghdad.It seems there is no escaping this violence. So on my way back home I went to visit the florist (in Karada) just for a glimpse of something beautiful, only to find out that this actually is now the last shop selling fresh flowers in Baghdad. As I talk to the florist about yesterdays explosion, he tells me that a relative of his was killed, a child.
(no Aston didnt want to give his name) FLORIST SYNC (VOICED)We are preparing for a funeral, a young relative of mine died in the explosion in Karada yesterday. He was a kid who went out to buy cola and never came back.
COMM: Flowers have always been imported from Jordan because of the fierce climate here. But now the roads are too dangerous and it is not worth the trouble because people dont order as many flowers as they used to
FLORIST SYNC (VOICED)A lot of things have changed. People used to have wedding celebrations in the evenings, from 7pm onto 3 or 4am. Now people have their weddings around 1 in the afternoon until two and then go home and they dont have as many flowers as they used to. They are afraid to get together.
COMMENTARY: One of my main forms of escapism has always been to go to Art galleries - even under Saddam we had dozens of them. So I immediately went to my favourite one Hiwar. Only to find out this is the last privately owned gallery in Baghdad.But the owner, Qassem Sabti, doesnt feel like he can have exhibitions here and the walls are almost empty. So come in and let me give you a private tour of what is left on display in Hiwar. Sabti told me about the difficulties in keeping a gallery open these days.
ASTONQASSEM SABTI Owner, Hiwar Gallery SYNC QASSEM SABTI (VOICED)Asking the Iraqi public to come to an exhibit is almost like asking them to walk through a minefield.
COMM: The gallery has been open since 1994 and up to 2003 Qassem Sabti has had 120 events and exhibitions in these rooms
SYNC QASSEM SABTI I have stopped exhibiting work in my gallery because I can't be sure that a suicide bomber won't come in and blow himself up amongst the visitors.
COMM: It seems incredible that we have reached a stage when visiting galleries has become a dangerous pastime but Qassem was even more pessimistic.
SYNC QASSEM SABTI one of the simple pleasures Iraqis used to have was to take their families and go for a walk along the river and sit in the public gardens.My dear brother, today, we can't even go for a walk anymore. Do you know what the Iraqi's little pleasures are today? To see their sons come back from school alive.
COMMENTARY: So amongst all these horrors I am sure you will forgive me for choosing the most mindless forms of escapism
SUBTITLE UP SOT: I will not keep quiet I will tell all!
COMMENTARY: soap operas. So I returned to the set and had another dose of ORCHESTRA. What was going on with Asals wedding plans?
SUBTITLES ACTUALTIY Mummy, mummy What is it, whats all the fuss about?I went down to look for the suitcase and I couldnt find it.You shouldnt worry about this you are getting married tomorrow you shouldnt worry about packing.
COMMENTARY: Batul Aziz like the director of this drama is one of a small numbers of actors who have chosen to stay and work in Baghdad and face the daily violence.
ASTONBATUL AZIZActress BATUL AZIZ (VOICED) There was an incident during filming this week, a car bomb very close to where we were shooting. You see death with your own eyes, you see the victims and still a couple of days later you go back to work. I think we have developed a strange ability, a toughness, and as they say the blow that doesnt kill you makes you stronger.
COMMENTARY: I would like to say that I agree with actress Batul Aziz but I feel my optimism went out the window last year. I miss all the things we used to take for granted and finding so many last ones left like the record shop, the florist, the gallery wasnt the uplifting news I was looking for. I dont know how we are going to get our lives back on track in Iraq but while its like this at least we have this fantasy world that Iltifat Aziz is creating for us.
SO HERE IS ..
The Salam Pax guide to Fun things to do in Baghdad.
COMMENTARY: My personal favourite forms of escapism are - in order of preference - pop music, television and art.So I went out looking for what there is in Baghdad these days.
SALAM LOOKING AT INTERNET PICS AND VIDEOSALAM ON COMPUTER READING PICTURES OF MUSIC SHOP
COMMENTARY: I quickly hit a wall with Iraqi pop music. Many music shops have been closed in Baghdad because of death threats.The environment of Islamic extremism we live in today means that music is yes - haram thats forbidden for you non muslims watching. And the selling of music has been deemed offensive to Islam
Why I hear you ask let me show you one esteemed Islamic scholars reasoning Sheikh Ahmad Kutty in Toronto, Canada tells us that Western Music is associated with the diseases of the soul hmmm Well that is one scholars opinion and a controversial issue. But when I went to visit one of Iraqs most famous record shops I found out they were reduced to a single outlet. And they were too afraid to talk to me because of death threats.What you find on the shelves are arab artists but very few Iraqi singers. Those who still want to record travel abroad and find other production companies. No chance of escapism here, pop in Baghdad is dead. On to the next tv
COMMENTARY: One area entertainment that has blossomed since the fall of Saddam is soap opera TV. we all love to watch Iraqi soapsUP SOT SUBTITLESLets forget what happened and start afreshSo here I am on the set of a Baghdadi soap opera.
UP SOT SUBTITLES: Two shot, a big two shot, then you go down for a medium close up.
COMMENTARY: With 12 new channels there is a lot of (choice) and Alsumeria, one of the new local channels has 4 productions on the go at the moment. But only one is being made in Baghdad because its too dangerous for most people.
COMMENTARY: The drama is called Orchestra and it is about a family that has been through the last three wars, about their struggle to survive and how we all crave a bit of peace and freedom. We join them as Asal talks to her mom about moving to her new martial home. Like most girls shes got some pre-wedding jitters.
SUBTITLES ACTUALITY: Anyway, you must send my sister with me to help arrange the furniture.I cant do it on my own.
COMMENTARY: The drama is being directed by Iltifat Aziz who was a household name as an actress before she moved behind the camera, I asked her about what it was like to make a drama in post war Baghdad
ASTONILTIFAT AZIZ Director: Orchestra ILTIFAT AZIZ (VOICED)Sometimes we have to wait hours for one of the actors because of a curfew or an explosion somewhere. It is like a race with electricity to get a shot done and if we use generators the costs are huge.
COMMENTARY: Iltifat Aziz also worries about the whole crews safety. They are mainly women and if you look around you will see only one is veiled. The atmosphere on the set is more relaxed than most work places in Baghdad these days. And they dont tell too many people where they film.But I can show you this building because it was only a temporary location.Aziz comes into work wearing hijab and Jubba to hide the fact that she actually wears trousers. And when I did the interview with her she felt the need to wear a headscarf.
ILTIFAT AZIZ (VOICED)Working here is like suicide, death awaits you at any moment. But there is no other way, would we want to sit at home. We all have to work, all of us men and women.
COMMENTARY: So despite all the difficulties this crew are here for 60 days filming 30 episodes of Orchestra. And we all love to watch these soap operas. It is almost perfect escapism. But on the set itself our violent realities are all too present. UPSOTDistant boomWhen a bomb went off nearby they just paused for a heartbeat and then carried on.Iltifat keeps them very focussed here, the show must go on
ON THE STREETS
COMMENTARY: A couple of days later I went out again to find the next item on my list, an art gallery. But on my way I heard that a car bomb had gone off in the shopping district of Karada, and I went there to find out what had happened. We had hoped that the violence would decrease with time but it seems it has a momentum of its own now.
VOX MAN ON STREET (VOICED)About seven died yesterday, just like that, three died by the house and two here. It was a car, a big car.
COMMENTARY: People were shocked when the car bomb went off here because this area, Karada is a highly popular shopping district and has always been thought to be one of the safer places in Baghdad.It seems there is no escaping this violence. So on my way back home I went to visit the florist (in Karada) just for a glimpse of something beautiful, only to find out that this actually is now the last shop selling fresh flowers in Baghdad. As I talk to the florist about yesterdays explosion, he tells me that a relative of his was killed, a child.
(no Aston didnt want to give his name) FLORIST SYNC (VOICED)We are preparing for a funeral, a young relative of mine died in the explosion in Karada yesterday. He was a kid who went out to buy cola and never came back.
COMM: Flowers have always been imported from Jordan because of the fierce climate here. But now the roads are too dangerous and it is not worth the trouble because people dont order as many flowers as they used to
FLORIST SYNC (VOICED)A lot of things have changed. People used to have wedding celebrations in the evenings, from 7pm onto 3 or 4am. Now people have their weddings around 1 in the afternoon until two and then go home and they dont have as many flowers as they used to. They are afraid to get together.
COMMENTARY: One of my main forms of escapism has always been to go to Art galleries - even under Saddam we had dozens of them. So I immediately went to my favourite one Hiwar. Only to find out this is the last privately owned gallery in Baghdad.But the owner, Qassem Sabti, doesnt feel like he can have exhibitions here and the walls are almost empty. So come in and let me give you a private tour of what is left on display in Hiwar. Sabti told me about the difficulties in keeping a gallery open these days.
ASTONQASSEM SABTI Owner, Hiwar Gallery SYNC QASSEM SABTI (VOICED)Asking the Iraqi public to come to an exhibit is almost like asking them to walk through a minefield.
COMM: The gallery has been open since 1994 and up to 2003 Qassem Sabti has had 120 events and exhibitions in these rooms
SYNC QASSEM SABTI I have stopped exhibiting work in my gallery because I can't be sure that a suicide bomber won't come in and blow himself up amongst the visitors.
COMM: It seems incredible that we have reached a stage when visiting galleries has become a dangerous pastime but Qassem was even more pessimistic.
SYNC QASSEM SABTI one of the simple pleasures Iraqis used to have was to take their families and go for a walk along the river and sit in the public gardens.My dear brother, today, we can't even go for a walk anymore. Do you know what the Iraqi's little pleasures are today? To see their sons come back from school alive.
COMMENTARY: So amongst all these horrors I am sure you will forgive me for choosing the most mindless forms of escapism
SUBTITLE UP SOT: I will not keep quiet I will tell all!
COMMENTARY: soap operas. So I returned to the set and had another dose of ORCHESTRA. What was going on with Asals wedding plans?
SUBTITLES ACTUALTIY Mummy, mummy What is it, whats all the fuss about?I went down to look for the suitcase and I couldnt find it.You shouldnt worry about this you are getting married tomorrow you shouldnt worry about packing.
COMMENTARY: Batul Aziz like the director of this drama is one of a small numbers of actors who have chosen to stay and work in Baghdad and face the daily violence.
ASTONBATUL AZIZActress BATUL AZIZ (VOICED) There was an incident during filming this week, a car bomb very close to where we were shooting. You see death with your own eyes, you see the victims and still a couple of days later you go back to work. I think we have developed a strange ability, a toughness, and as they say the blow that doesnt kill you makes you stronger.
COMMENTARY: I would like to say that I agree with actress Batul Aziz but I feel my optimism went out the window last year. I miss all the things we used to take for granted and finding so many last ones left like the record shop, the florist, the gallery wasnt the uplifting news I was looking for. I dont know how we are going to get our lives back on track in Iraq but while its like this at least we have this fantasy world that Iltifat Aziz is creating for us.