In the Shadow of the Palms

In the Shadow of the Palms
Directed by Wayne Coles-Janess
Produced by Wayne Coles-Janess
Written by Wayne Coles-Janess
Cinematography Wayne Coles-Janess
Edited by Wayne Coles-Janess
Distributed by Ipso-Facto Productions
Release dates
 2005
Running time
 90 minutes
Country Australia
Language Arabic

In the Shadow of the Palms (2005) is a documentary produced and directed by the Australian filmmaker Wayne Coles-Janess. He filmed it in Iraq prior to, during and after the fall of Saddam Hussein after the United States invasion of 2003. An Arab-language film, it documents the changes in Iraqi society and the lives of ordinary Iraqis by focusing on a cross-section of individuals.

Plot

In the Shadow of the Palms documents how life was for the society and people living under the Saddam regime after 12 years of United States sanctions. It follows a number of individuals as they prepare for the coalition war against them, continuing to tell their stories during the bombings. The film observed first hand the devastating effects of the extensive bombing campaign on the lives of civilians. The documentary gives the viewer an intimate, character-based insight into Iraqi society.

The director Coles-Janess spent months in Baghdad during his filming.

Festival awards


Official selection and invitations

Allied projects

Ipso-facto Productions has undertaken two projects as a result of the Iraq war and related to the film:

  1. "Liberty"—a residence solution for a family that appears in the film and who are now stateless as a result of the war. Ipso-facto productions has been communicating with the Red Cross and the UNHCR.
  2. "Amer"—financially supporting the rehabilitation of the hearing impaired 5-year-old Amer. Ipso-facto productions sponsors the costs of rehabilitation for Amer in France and Amman.

Related pages

References

  1. ↑ "International Competition", Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival

External links