Farewell Baghdad (2014 Film)
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''Farewell Baghdad'' (, lit. ''The Dove Flyer''; ) is an Israeli film based on the novel with the same name, by Iraqi-born
Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
writer
Eli Amir Eli Amir (; ; September 26, 1937) is an Iraqi-born Israeli writer and civil servant. He served as director general of the Youth Aliyah Department of the Jewish Agency. Biography Amir was born Fuad Elias Nasah Halschi in Baghdad, Iraq. He imm ...
. The film was directed by Nissim Dayan, who also wrote the screenplay. The idea for the film was conceived by actress Ahuva Keren, and the script was translated by her into
Judeo-Arabic Judeo-Arabic (; ; ) sometimes referred as Sharh, are a group of different ethnolects within the branches of the Arabic language used by jewish communities. Although Jewish use of Arabic, which predates Islam, has been in some ways distinct ...
. The making of the film was completed in 2013, but the film itself was commercially released in April 2014. Over nearly two hours, and through the story of a 16-year-old Jewish boy ( Daniel Gad), ''Farewell Baghdad'' depicts the story of the last days of the Baghdad Jewish community of the 1950s, and on the eve of the
Aliyah ''Aliyah'' (, ; ''ʿălīyyā'', ) is the immigration of Jews from Jewish diaspora, the diaspora to, historically, the geographical Land of Israel or the Palestine (region), Palestine region, which is today chiefly represented by the Israel ...
of almost all of that community to Israel in
Operation Ezra and Nehemiah From 1951 to 1952, Operation Ezra and Nehemiah airlifted between 120,000 and 130,000 Iraqi Jews to Israel via Iran and Cyprus. The massive emigration of Iraqi Jews was among the most climactic events of the Jewish exodus from the Muslim World ...
. At that time, The Kingdom of Iraq was struggling to overcome its defeat in the
1948 Arab–Israeli War The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, also known as the First Arab–Israeli War, followed the 1947–1948 civil war in Mandatory Palestine, civil war in Mandatory Palestine as the second and final stage of the 1948 Palestine war. The civil war becam ...
against the
State of Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
, and was torn between
Royalism A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of gover ...
, separatism and
communism Communism () is a political sociology, sociopolitical, political philosophy, philosophical, and economic ideology, economic ideology within the history of socialism, socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a ...
. On the other hand, the world's oldest Jewish community, which numbered at the time about a sixth of the population of the capital of Baghdad, also grappled between their historical and cultural relationship with the Iraqi people, the growing support for the communist movement, and their solidarity with the State of Israel and
Zionism Zionism is an Ethnic nationalism, ethnocultural nationalist movement that emerged in History of Europe#From revolution to imperialism (1789–1914), Europe in the late 19th century that aimed to establish and maintain a national home for the ...
. ''Farewell Baghdad'' is the first Judeo-Arabic-language film in the
history of cinema The history of film chronicles the development of a visual art form created using film technologies that began in the late 19th century. The advent of film as an artistic medium is not clearly defined. There were earlier cinematographic scree ...
(specifically,
Baghdad Jewish Arabic Baghdad Jewish Arabic (, ) or autonym (Jewish Speech) or (our speech) is the variety of Arabic spoken by the Jews of Baghdad and other towns of Lower Mesopotamia in Iraq. This dialect differs from the North Mesopotamian Arabic spoken by Jews ...
), and as traditionally is with the Jews of Iraq, it is inserted with phrases from the scriptures (such as " Bar Minan", "
Tisha B'Av Tisha B'Av ( ; , ) is an annual fast day in Judaism. A commemoration of a number of disasters in Jewish history, primarily the destruction of both Solomon's Temple by the Neo-Babylonian Empire and the Second Temple by the Roman Empire in Jerusal ...
" etc.) in their traditional Iraqi Hebrew pronunciations. When the Jewish characters talk with Arab Muslims, the dialect changes slightly and becomes a Muslim Iraqi Arabic.


The characters


Beit Imari


The Salman Imari Family

* Kaabi Imari ( Daniel Gad) – The film's protagonist, a 16-year-old Jewish boy, a version of Eli Amir. A high school student, slightly driven by
hormone A hormone (from the Ancient Greek, Greek participle , "setting in motion") is a class of cell signaling, signaling molecules in multicellular organisms that are sent to distant organs or tissues by complex biological processes to regulate physio ...
s but primarily a warm, supportive, and loving family member striving for independence and a role within the family. The film shows his first shave, emphasizing his desire to no longer be seen as a child. * Salman Imari (
Yigal Naor Igal Naor (; born ) is an Israeli actor, sometimes credited as Yigal Naor. Biography Naor was born in Givatayim, Israel, to Mizrahi Jewish parents from Iraq. He has appeared in the American films ''Munich'', ''Green Zone'' and '' Rendition''. ...
) – Kaabi's father, formerly a law student, later a
lawyer A lawyer is a person who is qualified to offer advice about the law, draft legal documents, or represent individuals in legal matters. The exact nature of a lawyer's work varies depending on the legal jurisdiction and the legal system, as w ...
, an oud player, and a bon vivant. Now a respected man, a father of two, and a top-tier
tailor A tailor is a person who makes or alters clothing, particularly in men's clothing. The Oxford English Dictionary dates the term to the thirteenth century. History Although clothing construction goes back to prehistory, there is evidence of ...
. He enjoys spoiling his family with Middle Eastern sweets. The story reveals that he numbs his hidden pain with arak and is more enigmatic than he first appears. * Naima Imari (Ahava Keren) – Kaabi's mother, a
homemaker Homemaking is mainly an American English, American and Canadian English, Canadian term for the management of a home, otherwise known as housework, housekeeping, housewifery or household management. It is the act of overseeing the organizational ...
. * Nuri Imari – Kaabi's 13-year-old brother, a
student A student is a person enrolled in a school or other educational institution, or more generally, a person who takes a special interest in a subject. In the United Kingdom and most The Commonwealth, commonwealth countries, a "student" attends ...
who also works part-time in Salman's tailor shop alongside a seamstress named Dizi.


The Hezekel Imari Family

* Hezekel Imari (Eli Dor Haim) – Salman's younger brother and Kaabi's uncle. He was active, likely
ideologically An ideology is a set of beliefs or values attributed to a person or group of persons, especially those held for reasons that are not purely about belief in certain knowledge, in which "practical elements are as prominent as theoretical ones". Form ...
, in the Zionist underground movement in Iraq, known as "HaTnu'a." * Rachel Imari (Yasmin Ayun) – Hezekel's wife, significantly younger than him. She is portrayed as a stunning young woman with blue eyes, fair skin, and long golden hair. However, her qualities go beyond her looks—she is independent and determined. She defies conventions, as seen when she slaps Salman after he comments on her
modesty Modesty, sometimes known as demureness, is a mode of dress and deportment which intends to avoid the encouraging of sexual attraction in others. The word ''modesty'' comes from the Latin word ''wikt:modestus, modestus'' which means 'keeping with ...
in dress. Kaabi secretly suffers from forbidden love for Rachel, and some scenes suggest she may have feelings for him as well. * Rachel and Hezekel live in an apartment adjacent to Salman Imari's family. The doors of both apartments open into a shared courtyard, separated from the street by a gate.


The Abu Adwar Family

* Abu Adwar (
Uri Gavriel Uri Gavriel () is an Israeli theater, film and television actor. Winner of the Ophir Award and Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in 2005 as Best Actor in film ''What a Wonderful Place''. In 2018, he appeared as Philip the Apostle in Helen ...
) – A
middle-aged Middle age (or middle adulthood) is the age range of the years halfway between childhood and old age. The exact range is subject to public debate, but the term is commonly used to denote the age range from 45 to 65 years. Overall This time span ...
, uneducated man whose first name and surname are not revealed in the film. He makes a living as a "pigeon handler," a profession not considered respectable in the community. The term "pigeon handling" refers to raising
pigeons Columbidae is a bird family consisting of doves and pigeons. It is the only family in the order Columbiformes. These are stout-bodied birds with small heads, relatively short necks and slender bills that in some species feature fleshy ceres. ...
on his rooftop and selling them as a
delicacy A delicacy is a rare food item that is considered highly desirable, sophisticated, or peculiarly distinctive within a given culture or region. A delicacy may have an unusual flavor or be expensive compared to everyday foods. Delicacies va ...
to the city's wealthy. Some pigeons are sold to be stuffed with rice, but even more exquisite are the pigeons stuffed and prepared by the handler himself. Even for Hezekel, Abu Adwar refuses to use his strong connections with the city's dignitaries, which he built through his work. He praises the good life enjoyed by Iraq's Jews and the seventy types of dates, cream, and fish that bless the land. He opposes Zionism, explaining that "Israel does not belong to us. Israel belongs to other Jews." * Juliet – Abu Adwar's wife and the mother of his children. She has a minor presence in the film. * Adwar (David Shaul) – The eldest son of Abu Adwar and Juliet, Kaabi's peer and friend. He is portrayed as a mischievous youth active in the Communist movement. The name "Adwar" is the Arabic pronunciation of "Edward." * Amira (Inbal Nir) – The youngest daughter of Abu Adwar and Juliet, in love with Kaabi and active in the Zionist movement. The Abu Adwar family lives on the top floor of the same building where the two
nuclear families A nuclear family (also known as an elementary family, atomic family, or conjugal family) is a term for a family group consisting of parents and their children (one or more), typically living in one home residence. It is in contrast to a single ...
of the Amari household reside. Kaabi, Nuri, Adwar, and Amira attend the same high school. Kaabi and Adwar are friends, and Salman and Abu Adwar go out together to drink and have fun.


Additional characters


Muslims

* Karim Abd al-Haq (Ron Shahar) – A Muslim lawyer and a close friend, almost like a brother, to Salman from their
law school A law school (also known as a law centre/center, college of law, or faculty of law) is an institution, professional school, or department of a college or university specializing in legal education, usually involved as part of a process for b ...
days. Karim supports both the Zionist movement and the
Communists Communism () is a sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology within the socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a socioeconomic order centered on common ownership of the means of production, d ...
. He is the brother of a high-ranking officer and seems to have other connections with the authorities. A lover of alcohol and Jewish women, Naima Amari describes him as handsome "like a movie star" and "as wise as Hezekiel—perhaps even wiser". * Abu Saadon (Hazi Tzadik) – A Muslim who makes his living running an establishment that is part
café A coffeehouse, coffee shop, or café (), is an establishment that serves various types of coffee, espresso, latte, americano and cappuccino, among other hot beverages. Many coffeehouses in West Asia offer ''shisha'' (actually called ''nargi ...
, part
restaurant A restaurant is an establishment that prepares and serves food and drinks to customers. Meals are generally served and eaten on the premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and Delivery (commerce), food delivery services. Restaurants ...
, and part
nightclub A nightclub or dance club is a club that is open at night, usually for drinking, dancing and other entertainment. Nightclubs often have a Bar (establishment), bar and discotheque (usually simply known as disco) with a dance floor, laser lighti ...
. This place acts as a kind of mirror revealing the hidden sides of the male characters, especially Salman. It is here that Salman is seen drinking and where he explains to Kaabi that no one—not Abu Saadon, not Abu Adwar, nor anyone else—can be trusted. * Colonel Hamid (Kobi Faraj) – A high-ranking Muslim officer in the
Iraqi army The Iraqi Ground Forces (Arabic: القوات البرية العراقية), also referred to as the Iraqi Army (Arabic: الجيش العراقي), is the ground force component of the Iraqi Armed Forces. It was formerly known as the Royal Iraq ...
, primarily engaged in carrying out violent raids, akin to pogroms, against the homes of Jews and Communists.


Jews

* Abu Tsalach (Menashe Noy) – A baker and a key figure in the Zionist underground movement. The community sees him as a disgrace due to his unclear past relationship with a
Bedouin The Bedouin, Beduin, or Bedu ( ; , singular ) are pastorally nomadic Arab tribes who have historically inhabited the desert regions in the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, the Levant, and Mesopotamia (Iraq). The Bedouin originated in the Sy ...
woman, Fathiya, who later appears in the film and shares his bed. The film does not elaborate on this, but from the book, we learn that Abu Tsalach is a somewhat
hedonistic Hedonism is a family of philosophical views that prioritize pleasure. Psychological hedonism is the theory that all human behavior is motivated by the desire to maximize pleasure and minimize pain. As a form of egoism, it suggests that peopl ...
bachelor A bachelor is a man who is not and never has been married.Bachelors are, in Pitt & al.'s phrasing, "men who live independently, outside of their parents' home and other institutional settings, who are neither married nor cohabitating". (). Etymo ...
who also pursues Amira. His nickname, "Abu Tsalach," was not earned through fatherhood (as he has no children) but due to other aspects of his personality. * Abu Tsalach's home also serves as a hideout for Fuad, an emissary from Israel who delivers instructions from the Israeli government and David Ben-Gurion. * Salim – Salman's paternal cousin and an activist in the Communist movement. He believes that Jews will never be allowed to leave Iraq and therefore must align themselves with their Muslim and Christian brethren in the revolution to overthrow the
monarchical A monarchy is a form of government in which a person, the monarch, reigns as head of state for the rest of their life, or until abdication. The extent of the authority of the monarch may vary from restricted and largely symbolic (constitutio ...
and
capitalist Capitalism is an economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production and their use for the purpose of obtaining profit. This socioeconomic system has developed historically through several stages and is defined by ...
regime. * Abu George (Yossi Alfi) and Umm George (also known as Gladys) – Wealthy Jews in Baghdad and clients of both Salman and Abu Adwar. The Jewish community despises them, accusing them of amassing wealth by exploiting other Jews. However, the Iraqi government considers them an important part of the national economy. * Salima (Mira Awad) – A glamorous and desirable singer who performs at Abu Saadon's café. Salman was once in love with her and wanted to marry her, and Abu Adwar also confesses his attraction to her. The film does not specify her
religion Religion is a range of social system, social-cultural systems, including designated religious behaviour, behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, religious text, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics in religion, ethics, or ...
, but it is plausible that she is Jewish. She may be based on the real-life Jewish singer Salima Murad, who remained in Iraq, converted to Islam, and married
Nazem al-Ghazali Nazem al-Ghazali (, given name also spelled ''Nazim'', ''Nadhim'', ''Nadhem'' or ''Nathem''; 1921 – 23 October 1963) was an Iraqi singer, considered one of the most important figures in Iraqi music. Life Nazem al-Ghazali was born in the Hayda ...
, one of Iraq's greatest singers at the time. The film's trailer states that it tells the story of four women—likely Rachel, Amira, Naima, and Salima, each central to the romantic entanglements of Kaabi and Salman.


Plot


The search for weapons in the Amari family homes

The film opens with Kabi sitting calmly at his desk. The
silence Silence is the absence of ambient hearing, audible sound, the emission of sounds of such low sound intensity, intensity that they do not draw attention to themselves, or the state of having ceased to produce sounds; this latter sense can be exten ...
of the early morning hours is
interrupt In digital computers, an interrupt (sometimes referred to as a trap) is a request for the processor to ''interrupt'' currently executing code (when permitted), so that the event can be processed in a timely manner. If the request is accepted ...
ed by Colonel Hamid Abd al-Aziz (Kobi Farag) of the
Iraqi police The Iraqi Police (IP) is the uniformed police force responsible for the enforcement of civil law in Iraq. Its organisation, structure and recruitment were guided by the Coalition Provisional Authority after the 2003 American invasion of Iraq, ...
, accompanied by soldiers/officers Mohammed and Adnan (Tawfeek Barhom). The three pound on the inner courtyard gate facing the street. When Kabi opens the gate, they storm into the two apartments, dragging with them Hezekel, who is handcuffed and appears to have endured a brutal night of
interrogation Interrogation (also called questioning) is interviewing as commonly employed by law enforcement officers, military personnel, intelligence agencies, organized crime syndicates, and terrorist organizations with the goal of eliciting useful informa ...
. The officers shackle Hezekel to the window bars and begin a violent search for hidden weapons. Through the tense exchanges between the enforcers and the family members, the viewer is introduced to the Amari family. It also becomes clear that Hezekel was arrested for writing a newspaper article criticizing the Iraqi government. (From the book, it is revealed that the article warned Jews about what awaited them in
Basra Basra () is a port city in Iraq, southern Iraq. It is the capital of the eponymous Basra Governorate, as well as the List of largest cities of Iraq, third largest city in Iraq overall, behind Baghdad and Mosul. Located near the Iran–Iraq bor ...
under Shafiq Adas, a wealthy Jewish merchant close to the royal family, who was accused of smuggling weapons to Israel and supporting the communist movement.) During the search, Adnan finds an
oud The oud ( ; , ) is a Middle Eastern short-neck lute-type, pear-shaped, fretless stringed instrument (a chordophone in the Hornbostel–Sachs classification of instruments), usually with 11 strings grouped in six courses, but some models have ...
inside the wardrobe in Salman and Naima's bedroom. Unlike the other objects he tosses to the floor, the officer carefully and respectfully places the oud on the bed. Ultimately, the search yields nothing. The Iraqi police leave, dragging Hezekel with them to an unknown location. During the search, Salman, who had apparently gone out for the evening, is not at home. He returns just as the police are leaving, only to be met with Naima's reproach about his timing.


The Visits to Hezekel

Kabi leads the family in their attempts to locate Hezekel, meet with him, and perhaps even secure his release. Initially, they make an unsuccessful attempt to enlist the services of Zilka, a Jewish
lawyer A lawyer is a person who is qualified to offer advice about the law, draft legal documents, or represent individuals in legal matters. The exact nature of a lawyer's work varies depending on the legal jurisdiction and the legal system, as w ...
who studied law alongside Salman. Later, Salman sends Kabi to seek advice from Abu Tsalach. Abu Tsalach directs Kabi to Karim. It soon becomes clear that Karim desires Rashel and hopes to earn her favor in exchange for his efforts to help Hezekel. In the early morning, Salman takes Kabi to the hidden weapons stash in their home. Kabi bundles the few
firearm A firearm is any type of gun that uses an explosive charge and is designed to be readily carried and operated by an individual. The term is legally defined further in different countries (see legal definitions). The first firearms originate ...
s into a sack and, before heading to school, carries it through the streets of Baghdad to Abu Tsalach. Karim instructs Kabi on how to
disguise A disguise can be anything incognito which conceals one's identity or changes a person's physical appearance, including a wig, glasses, makeup, fake moustache, costume or other items. Camouflage is a type of disguise for people, animals and o ...
himself and act as a simple tea server. Kabi dons a robe, takes a tray of tea, and, in this disguise, visits Hezekel several times in the basements of the Iraqi CID (Criminal Investigation Division). Hezekel, wasting away, asks Kabi to hide the severity of his condition and deliver a message to the community—especially to Abu Tsalach—that it is time to move to the "next stage," meaning to leave Iraq and
immigrate Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not usual residents or where they do not possess nationality in order to settle as permanent residents. Commuters, tourists, and other short-t ...
to Israel. While in prison, Kabi encounters a man known as "the Armenian," the leader of the communist resistance, who defiantly sings "The Internationale" (in Arabic) in defiance of the guards.


The Truck to Iran

Kabi and Edouard go out together for an evening. They visit a
brothel A brothel, strumpet house, bordello, bawdy house, ranch, house of ill repute, house of ill fame, or whorehouse is a place where people engage in Human sexual activity, sexual activity with prostitutes. For legal or cultural reasons, establis ...
, where the shocked Kabi witnesses a disturbing scene: a virgin being auctioned off to the highest bidder, followed by the display of a bloodstained sheet from a window above. Kabi seemingly does not partake in the services offered and instead listens to Edouard's erotic descriptions. After leaving, they head to Abu Saadoun's café, where, to the sound of Salima singing the songs of the Kuwaiti brothers Salah and Daoud, they meet Abu Edouard, Karim, and Salman. Amira flirts with Kabi, teasing him about his attraction to Rashel. Meanwhile, Abu Edouard and Salman discuss, half-seriously and half-jokingly, the possibility of a marriage between Kabi and Rashel and Kabi's potential involvement in the pigeon business. Following the execution of "the Armenian," the communist leader, everyone realizes that the Iraqi government will now turn its attention to the Jewish community and the Zionist underground. The school principal, Ustaz Nawi (a cameo appearance of author
Eli Amir Eli Amir (; ; September 26, 1937) is an Iraqi-born Israeli writer and civil servant. He served as director general of the Youth Aliyah Department of the Jewish Agency. Biography Amir was born Fuad Elias Nasah Halschi in Baghdad, Iraq. He imm ...
), sends Kabi and Edouard to warn Salim. Kabi gathers money from his father to help Salim secure a place on a truck arranged by the underground movement,
smuggling Smuggling is the illegal transportation of objects, substances, information or people, such as out of a house or buildings, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations. More broadly, soc ...
Jews to Iran on their way to Israel. Amira also plans to board the truck. Before leaving, she confesses her love for Kabi, and they share a kiss in the market. This kiss sparks a confrontation between Kabi and Edouard, but Kabi makes it clear that he will not let Edouard interfere in his relationship with Amira. She boards the truck, but not before promising Kabi that she will wait for him, assuring him that since "Israel is small," he will have no trouble finding her. Salman is pleased with Kabi's involvement in the Zionist movement. After Amira's escape, a furious Abu Edouard confronts Abu Tsalach, accusing him of dishonoring Amira and then helping her flee to Israel. In his rage, Abu Edouard threatens to either kill Abu Tsalach and then himself or turn him over to the authorities. The tension is finally diffused when Salman intervenes. Fatḥiya, the
Bedouin The Bedouin, Beduin, or Bedu ( ; , singular ) are pastorally nomadic Arab tribes who have historically inhabited the desert regions in the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, the Levant, and Mesopotamia (Iraq). The Bedouin originated in the Sy ...
woman, pours a bucket of cold water over Abu Edouard's head, shocking him back to his senses.


The Citizenship Renunciation Law

Karim warns Kavi, who has already become a full member of the movement, about the Iraqi secret police. He also recommends that he join Abu Edward's pigeon business to remove suspicion from himself. Abu Edward is happy to bring Kavi into the business, as Edward's communist activity has intensified to the point that he has left his parents' home. Kavi and Abu Edward are invited to prepare and serve their stuffed pigeons at an intimate dinner hosted by Abu and Umm George in honor of Iraq's Prime Minister
Nuri al-Said Nuri Pasha al-Said Al-Qaraghuli CH (; December 1888 – 15 July 1958) was an Iraqi politician and statesman who served eight terms as Prime Minister of Iraq. He served in various key cabinet and governmental positions in Iraq during its Briti ...
(
Makram Khoury Makram Jamil Khoury (, ) is an Israeli-Arab actor, born 30 May 1945 in Jerusalem. He was the youngest artist and the first Arab to win the Israel Prize, the highest civic honor in Israel. Biography Makram J. Khoury was born into a Palestin ...
) and his secretary, Dr. Rashid. The pigeon handlers eavesdrop on the conversation and discover that after al-Said executed the communist leaders, he turned his attention to the Jewish issue. He invited himself to his Jewish friends' home only to inform them of his decision to allow Jews to leave if they renounce their citizenship. Al-Said clarifies that the government will not be able to protect those who remain and that he expects the masses to throw the bodies of the remaining Jews to the dogs. At the same time, he promises Abu George and his family that he will personally protect them and asks them to stay. Kavi quickly reveals the contents of the conversation, first to Abu Salah and then to the Ammari household. Abu Salah addresses the Jews in the
synagogue A synagogue, also called a shul or a temple, is a place of worship for Jews and Samaritans. It is a place for prayer (the main sanctuary and sometimes smaller chapels) where Jews attend religious services or special ceremonies such as wed ...
, urging them to immigrate to Israel, but he faces strong opposition from Abu Edward. A similar division arises in the Ammari family: Naima opposes leaving due to historical and cultural ties to Iraq, while Rashel makes it clear that she does not intend to immigrate, as she plans to wait for Hezekiah in Iraq. Kavi visits Hezekiah one last time, accompanied by Salman. Hezekiah makes Salman swear to their parents and the rest of the family that he will not allow Rashel to wait for him in Iraq. The Iraqi police suspect Kavi due to his active involvement in the Jewish community. He is arrested and violently interrogated by Colonel Hamid, who mockingly presents him with a patriotic Iraqi essay he wrote the previous school year. After the brutal interrogation, Kavi is thrown into a cell with Menashe, another Jew he knows. Menashe, whose fingernails have been torn out during torture by the Iraqi police, succumbs to his wounds while Kavi calls the guard in vain. Karim's intervention manages to secure Kavi's release, but Karim makes it clear that this is the last time he can help the family.


Last Days in Baghdad

Kabi's arrest likely leads Naima to the sad realization that there is no future for Jews in Iraq. Salman begins selling suitcases in his store, and it seems that the departure is imminent. Rashal turns to Karim, asking him to work for the release of Hezkel. She tries to seduce him to convince him, but when Kabi enters the room and firmly orders Rashal to return home, the interaction between them ends. On their way home, Kabi holds Rashal by the cheek, tells her that she has become tiresome to him, and kisses her on the lips. In response, she gently strokes his face and says, "Oh Kabi... my poor one." It is revealed that the supreme leader of the "movement" is actually Salman, who orders the collection and destruction of all weapons, intending to reduce risks and maintain calm ahead of the
Aliyah ''Aliyah'' (, ; ''ʿălīyyā'', ) is the immigration of Jews from Jewish diaspora, the diaspora to, historically, the geographical Land of Israel or the Palestine (region), Palestine region, which is today chiefly represented by the Israel ...
. Salman also orders the collection of lists of immigrants. After Kabi and most of the attendees leave the meeting, Salman informs Abu Salih that he has received new orders from the homeland. The plot shifts immediately to describe the panic of the Jews as they save
Torah scroll A Sephardic Torah scroll rolled to the first paragraph of the Shema An Ashkenazi Torah scroll rolled to the Decalogue file:Keneseth Eliyahoo Synagogue, Interior, Tora Cases.jpg">Torah cases at Knesset Eliyahoo Synagogue, Mumbai, India ...
s after an explosion at the
synagogue A synagogue, also called a shul or a temple, is a place of worship for Jews and Samaritans. It is a place for prayer (the main sanctuary and sometimes smaller chapels) where Jews attend religious services or special ceremonies such as wed ...
. Naima and Rashal arrive at the scene and see Salman emerging, his face blackened and his tie disheveled, from the synagogue. Naima vents her anger at Salman, calling him a snake. Salman bids farewell to Salima the singer, sells his store, and the family prepares for
Aliyah ''Aliyah'' (, ; ''ʿălīyyā'', ) is the immigration of Jews from Jewish diaspora, the diaspora to, historically, the geographical Land of Israel or the Palestine (region), Palestine region, which is today chiefly represented by the Israel ...
. Salman holds a farewell party at his home for his Jewish and Muslim friends, during which he plays the oud for the last time. Rashal, who does not join the celebration, tells Kabi that after Salman finished his career as a
lawyer A lawyer is a person who is qualified to offer advice about the law, draft legal documents, or represent individuals in legal matters. The exact nature of a lawyer's work varies depending on the legal jurisdiction and the legal system, as w ...
, he became an
oud The oud ( ; , ) is a Middle Eastern short-neck lute-type, pear-shaped, fretless stringed instrument (a chordophone in the Hornbostel–Sachs classification of instruments), usually with 11 strings grouped in six courses, but some models have ...
player and wanted to tie his fate to Salima's. Colonel Abd al-Hamid finds hidden weapons in Abu Salih's house/bakery and arrests him. Kabi and Edwar conclude that the pigeon breeder, none other than Abu Edwar, was the one who informed the authorities about Abu Salih. In their anger, they release all the pigeons that Abu Edwar had raised. Hezkel and Abu Salih are led to the
gallows A gallows (or less precisely scaffold) is a frame or elevated beam, typically wooden, from which objects can be suspended or "weighed". Gallows were thus widely used to suspend public weighing scales for large and heavy objects such as sa ...
, with a large white paper pinned to the front of their shirts, reading "I am a Zionist traitor" in Arabic. They are publicly hanged, in front of Rashal and Fathiyeh, who collapse. In the dead of night, the Jews arrive at the gallows and remove the two
corpses A cadaver, often known as a corpse, is a dead human body. Cadavers are used by medical students, physicians and other scientists to study anatomy, identify disease sites, determine causes of death, and provide tissue to repair a defect in a liv ...
. Salman's voice, choked with tears as he recites the
Kaddish The Kaddish (, 'holy' or 'sanctification'), also transliterated as Qaddish, is a hymn praising God that is recited during Jewish prayer services. The central theme of the Kaddish is the magnification and sanctification of God's name. In the lit ...
for his brother, is heard in the background. The Jews renounce their citizenship and wait for flights that will take them to Israel. When the time comes, they leave their homes, which are taken over by Palestinian refugees who fled Israel during the War of Independence. The refugees call out to the Jews leaving, saying they will settle in their homes in Palestine. In the final image of the film, Kabi, his younger brother, father, and mother are standing in line to board the plane that will take them to Israel. Salman carries the oud with him, but one of the soldiers confiscates it from him. Rashal remains behind, with Karim standing behind her.


Production

Ahuva Keren, who plays the role of Naima, was the one who conceived the idea of filming the movie in Iraqi Arabic. She also translated the script into the language and was responsible for training the actors who were not fluent in Arabic. According to the filmmakers, the production took eight years (likely referring to the period from when Ahuva Keren first proposed making a film in Baghdadi Judeo-Arabic until the completion of the production). In June 2012, Moshe Edery stated that Sasson Gabay was set to star in the film. The filming lasted for thirty consecutive days in the summer of 2012, across various locations in Israel, including Jaffa, the Old City of Jerusalem, Acre, and Nazareth. Extensive editing and sound corrections followed the shoot.
Dudu Tassa David "Dudu" Tassa (; born February 10, 1977) is an Israeli rock musician, singer, songwriter and record producer. Besides having had a successful solo career in Israel, Tassa has been the leader of Dudu Tassa & the Kuwaitis which plays new rendi ...
, the grandson of Daud al-Kuwaiti, worked on the music for the film's scenes featuring songs by the al-Kuwaiti brothers, Daud and Saleh. The final touches on the soundtrack were done by composer Sharon Farber. Although the film's production was completed in 2013, it was released in theaters only on 10 April 2014, around
Passover Passover, also called Pesach (; ), is a major Jewish holidays, Jewish holiday and one of the Three Pilgrimage Festivals. It celebrates the Exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Biblical Egypt, Egypt. According to the Book of Exodus, God in ...
, possibly to draw a parallel between the exodus of Iraqi Jews from Baghdad and the biblical Exodus from Egypt. In mid-May 2014, the film began a series of premiere screenings in London, attended by author
Eli Amir Eli Amir (; ; September 26, 1937) is an Iraqi-born Israeli writer and civil servant. He served as director general of the Youth Aliyah Department of the Jewish Agency. Biography Amir was born Fuad Elias Nasah Halschi in Baghdad, Iraq. He imm ...
.


Budget and production funding

According to Nisim Dayan, enormous sums were required to recreate the historical period. In addition to a grant of 157,000 shekels from
Mifal HaPais Mifal HaPais () is Israel's government-owned lottery company. It comprises the state's near monopoly on legal gambling together with the Israel Sports Betting Board (ISBB) (). The name translates to ''The Institute of Lottery'' In 2012, Mifal HaP ...
, significant funding was raised from the Rabinovich Foundation. When the funds ran out, brothers Moshe and Leon Edery were brought in to support the production. The project also received backing from the Israel Land Development Company company, particularly from its leaders,
Yaakov Nimrodi Yaakov Nimrodi (; 1 June 1926 – 21 August 2023) was an Israeli businessman and intelligence officer. Nimrodi, the father of Ofer Nimrodi, was the chairman of ''Maariv'', which he acquired in 1992. Biography Yaakov Nimrodi was born in Jerusalem ...
and
Ofer Nimrodi Ofer Nimrodi (; born May 23, 1957) is an Israeli jurist, businessman and former publisher. Biography Ofer Nimrodi, whose family was of Iraqi-Jewish origin, was born to Rivka and Yaakov Nimrodi in Iran in 1957 while his father served as the Isra ...
. Dayan mentioned that wealthy Iraqi Jews living in London, who wished to remain anonymous, also invested in the film. The film's official poster lists the following supporters in this order: the Rabinovich Foundation in collaboration with the Recanati Foundation, the Ministry of Culture and Sports, Eddie Feit, Yaakov and Ofer Nimrodi, Uri David,
Mifal HaPais Mifal HaPais () is Israel's government-owned lottery company. It comprises the state's near monopoly on legal gambling together with the Israel Sports Betting Board (ISBB) (). The name translates to ''The Institute of Lottery'' In 2012, Mifal HaP ...
, and the Israeli Film Encouragement Fund. It is likely that "Eddie Feit" and "Uri David" were among the anonymous London donors. According to
IMDb IMDb, historically known as the Internet Movie Database, is an online database of information related to films, television series, podcasts, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and biograp ...
estimates and reports from Israel's Channel 2 News, the production budget was approximately 9 million
shekels A shekel or sheqel (; , , plural , ) is an ancient Mesopotamian coin, usually of silver. A shekel was first a unit of weight—very roughly 11 grams (0.35 ozt)—and became currency in ancient Tyre, Carthage and Hasmonean Judea. Name The word ...
. However, according to the NRG website, the budget was 9 million shekels.


Review and audience response


Ticket sales

Dayan said that "within about a week, ''Farewell Baghdad'' drew 30,000 viewers". Actor Daniel Gad proudly posted o
his Facebook page
a screenshot from the Cinema City network website showing the film at the top of the network's most-watched list. A similar picture was presented by critic Yair Raveh, who reported that "after two weeks in theaters, it had reached 60,000 tickets—more than any other Israeli film in 2014—and demand kept growing". He also noted that as of 4 May 2014, the film stood at 80,000 tickets and predicted it would reach 100,000 ticket sales, despite what he considered to be standard distribution with few screenings and modest publicity. In a publication dated 20 May 2014, the website of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that this forecast came true.


Awards and film festivals

The film won the
Ophir Award The Ophir Awards (), full name: the Israel Film Academy Award, sometimes also known as the Israeli Oscars or the Israeli Academy Awards, are film awards for excellence in the Israeli film industry awarded by the Israeli Academy of Film and Tele ...
in 2013 for Best Costume Design and Best Art Direction. It was also the opening film of th
Epos Film Festival
in 2013. Nissim Dayan complained that the
Israeli Film Academy The Ophir Awards (), full name: the Israel Film Academy Award, sometimes also known as the Israeli Oscars or the Israeli Academy Awards, are film awards for excellence in the Israeli film industry awarded by the Israeli Academy of Film and Televi ...
"totally and completely passed over his film…” and that "no festival in the world wanted the film". He explained that this was due to political reasons: “… because it is Zionist. We were told this implicitly, and sometimes even explicitly, that this is the reason. If the film dealt with Palestinian issues, its fate would have been different. You see that films dealing with the occupation are screened at all the festivals". He related this to the fact that the film presents Jews as victims: "This is not conspiratorial but rather a precise pattern. The moment Jews are the victims of the conflict and not the Arabs, it takes on a completely different character… Jews who crossed the border from Iraq, from Syria, from Egypt to Israel, and even those who came from Morocco by sea, were seen as people who crossed into a land that was actually theirs—
Mesopotamia Mesopotamia is a historical region of West Asia situated within the Tigris–Euphrates river system, in the northern part of the Fertile Crescent. Today, Mesopotamia is known as present-day Iraq and forms the eastern geographic boundary of ...
, the Middle East. They are not colonialists. And that is something the Palestinians are not willing to accept. They want the conflict to be clearly white vs. black, and that’s not accurate here".


Film critics

Film critics were united in their appreciation of the film and the unimaginable effort to reconstruct a historical period and language. They were also united in a sense of missed opportunity, feeling that the cinematic product failed to fully reap the rewards of that effort. The film raised interest in Iraq, with a leading Iraqi filmmaker even secretly reaching out to Israeli distributors in hopes of screening it in Baghdad, despite the risks involved. For example, critic Shmulik Duvdevani fro
Ynet
wrote: "Perhaps ''Farewell Baghdad'' would have benefited from being adapted into a television series, which would have allowed for deeper development of the characters (especially that of the protagonist, Kabi, whose personality evolves both psychologically and politically), and of the historical context of the story. Still, there is something in Dayan’s film that reflects his great love for Amir’s text, and that love, as well as the respect for the vanishing culture it portrays, comes through well in the film". Uri Klein, the veteran film critic for ''Haaretz'', also offered mostly positive feedback, though he titled his review with a sense of disappointment: "''Farewell Baghdad'': an impressive yet disappointing attempt to tell the story of Iraqi Jewry." Independent critic Yair Raveh likewise did not spare criticism for the script and editing: "I left the film quite frustrated. I barely understood a thing. I don’t think any scene led naturally into the next. The chronology of the story seemed jumbled. Events that already occurred in the film were discussed in the next scene as if they hadn’t happened yet". On the other hand, he also found the film worthy of revisiting: "Honestly, I’d be happy to watch a television series about all this rather than a film. I’d like to understand every character and every element, and break down the conflict and this world into its smallest parts. It seems to me that in a TV series, Nissim Dayan would also be in his most natural element—telling a story with a long breath, in fine detail". Based on four different reviews, the Israeli film sit
''Edb'' (Entertainment Database)
gave the film a critics' score of 6.8.

/h2>

Public response

Unlike the critics,
Dalia Itzik Dalia Itzik ( ''Dalya Itsik''; born 20 October 1952) is an Israeli former politician who last served as a member of the Knesset for Kadima. She has previously served in several ministerial positions, and on 4 May 2006 became the first female spe ...
, a descendant of an Iraqi immigrant family, wrote on her Facebook page: "The film brought me back many times to the scents and stories I grew up with in my parents' home. 'Farewell Baghdad' gives a dimension and introduces a world that is unfamiliar to many Israelis. It is the story of the immigration of Jews from Iraqi, as well as the story of many other immigrations from other countries who arrived in Israel during those years. I highly recommend the film, as it tells the story of our country and serves as an example of Israeli cinema that evokes pride.". This was after attending the film's premiere at the Cinematheque. President
Shimon Peres Shimon Peres ( ; ; born Szymon Perski, ; 2 August 1923 – 28 September 2016) was an Israeli politician and statesman who served as the prime minister of Israel from 1984 to 1986 and from 1995 to 1996 and as the president of Israel from 2007 t ...
, who attended the same screening, wrote: "A high-quality and genuine film that touches the heart of every one of us and serves as an example of outstanding Israeli cinema". Isaac (Bougie) Herzog also found it important to recommend the film on his Facebook page: “'Farewell Baghdad,' Eli Amir’s wonderful book, has become a heartwarming film by Nissim Dayan. It sheds light on the immigration of Iraqi Jews and the end of the oldest Jewish community in the world, in a delicate and moving human story that, unfortunately, hasn’t been told enough in our history classes. The language of the film is richly flavored Iraqi Arabic, and the actors' effort is impressive. Michal and I enjoyed watching the film and highly recommend it". The film received a score of 10.0 in user reviews (from 52 users) on the IDB website. Din Leichter from the Frogi website may express the disappointment of Arabic-speaking viewers when he remarked: “…the actors' Arabic is really not good – what can you do, when you cast actors with no Arabic background (Ron Shahar, for example) and ask them to play characters who speak only Arabic, it harms the quality of the film…”.


Differences compared to the book

Naturally, many details presented in the book were omitted in the transition to the cinematic medium. Nevertheless, the film attempts to represent the details and information found in the book. A viewer who has not read the book may at times find it difficult to understand these hints. The director and screenwriter, Nissim Dayan, stated: “I asked for and received complete artistic freedom from him he author Eli Amir He really loved the final product. ... In fact, the film is very different from the novel. For example, in the novel, Kabi is a passive character. He merely absorbs, observes, and doesn’t even get arrested. In our version, he becomes an active character, a
protagonist A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a ...
, not an outside observer. The film begins with him and ends with him, in a very clear, completely subjective narrative of a hero through whom I tell the story. He is essentially Amir’s alter ego. In the first shot, you see him leaning over his writing, indicating that we are about to watch what he will later write. I amplified the romantic conflict around Rashel and invented the scene with Saida — it doesn’t exist in the novel. There is also no synagogue in the novel. And yet, Eli Amir was moved to tears by the final result.” Author Eli Amir clarifies that these changes were to his satisfaction: “A film needs to provide answers. In the book, I ask questions, and the film provides the answers. You can’t leave things open in a film, and I am pleased with the answers it gives״. The creators of the film chose not to include the parts of the book that take place in Israel. Other major differences include:


External links

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References

{{reflist 2013 films 2010s historical drama films Films based on Israeli novels Israeli historical drama films 2010s Arabic-language films Jewish Iraqi history Films set in Baghdad