On the Banks of the Tigris (2015)
When Majid Shokor escaped from Iraq he discovered that the songs he loved as a child in Baghdad have a hidden history. To find out more, Majid makes a bold journey from Australia to Israel, Europe and Iraq to meet Iraqi musicians, hear their music and stories, and unite them in a concert for peace and reconciliation.
Watch Trailer
Cast
Similar titles
Reviews
hyped garbage
Excellent but underrated film
It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.
While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.
This film proves yet again that culture unites people. Majid Shokor, an Iraqui living in exile in Australia, is determined to find out the roots of Iraqui popular music, and seeks out many musicians old and younger as well as musicologists. Jews, Muslims and Christians all created a rich tapestry of music heard in Baghdad during the mid- 20th century, but Shokor finds that the younger generation in Iraq believes this music is folk music and are unaware of who actually wrote and performed it, particularly that many of the most influential musicians were Jewish. Much history was purged over the years. Shokor's efforts to find the truth culminate in a concert of Iraqui music at the Barbican Center in London in 2012, an event of rediscovery, celebration and reconciliation. This extraordinary film has been making the rounds of festivals since 2015, and is definitely worth searching out.