Tuesday, October 12, 2004

I know it has been a long time since I last posted. I'm torn about returning to Iraq...I want to, but I'm not sure when. In the meantime I will be screening an excerpt from the doucmentary and other short videos from Iraq.

So come out on November 20, 2004 to the Gene Siskel Film Center in Chicago for a special show I created called: VIDEO BABYLON

Here is the description that Barbara Scharres, Director of Programming of the Film Center, wrote:

2002-04, Usama Alshaibi and various directors, USA/Iraq, 52 min.
Chicago filmmaker Usama Alshaibi presents a provocative inside look at street-level media in Iraq, including calculatingly entertaining Ba'athist propaganda pieces, and music videos with titles like THE SADDAM RAP, which often take the form of cheap, widely-disseminated and unregulated VCDs (video compact disks). Alshaibi screens and discusses BOMBSHELL: IRAQI SECRET VIDEOS AND ARTIFACTS FROM A FALLEN REGIME (16 min.), his edited compilation of VCD clips, and his own new films shot in Iraq earlier this year. Films by Alshaibi include: THE MESSAGE (6 min.), and an excerpt from NICE BOMBS (12 min). The program also includes: YA KHALA (7 min.) by Fa'iz Agob; THE SADDAM RAP (6 min.) by Joe Guitar; and BA'ATH MUSIC VIDEO, 5 min. In various video formats.

Director Usama Alshaibi will be present for audience discussion.

Saturday, November 20, 7:00 pm

Gene Siskel Film Center
164 N. State Street
Chicago, IL 60601


Film Center website: http://www.siskelfilmcenter.org

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I still want to bring my cousin TW down to the good ol' USA!

Hey look Salam Pax is around and he may be coming down to USA. He has been producing some great videos ----

This is my first year voting. Do you know who I want vote for? To tell you the truth, bot canidates piss me off.
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Here is a nice summary of our trip to Iraq by http://www.ausgang.com