Zaman: The Man from the Reeds

Iraqi-born filmmaker Amer Alwan returned to his country in January 2003 after a 20-year absence to shoot—despite censorship from Saddam Hussein's regime and disruption following the American invasion—this extraordinary digital video feature, a remarkable tale of love, courage, and compassion. Zaman is a late-middle-aged man who lives with his wife and their adopted son in a swampy marshland region. When his wife becomes ill, a local doctor sends Zaman to obtain medication which can only be bought in Baghdad. Unfamiliar with the city and its bureaucracy and lacking proper identification, Zaman is lost and frustrated, but he perseveres thanks to the kindness of strangers. Clearly working around restrictions on depicting Iraqi society (in fact, part of the film was confiscated for its unflattering portrait of life under Saddam), Alwan's lyrical film (with special kudos to Thomasz Cichawa's crisp videography) boasts sensitive acting, particularly by Sami Kaftan in an astonishing performance as the dedicated and determined Zaman. Highly recommended. (P. Hall)