Cinema
فتنة وحسن
Haidar Al-Omar · 1955
Synopsis
In an Iraqi village, Fitna and her cousin Hassan love each other. The village values Hassan for his generosity, but the young man's stepmother schemes to undo their union and marry the girl to another, the wicked Jassam. The two lovers must hold out against the household's manoeuvres, the calculations of the families and the weight of custom.
Context
The film was produced by Dunya al-Fann, the company of the actor Yas Ali al-Nasir, who plays the lead; it is the first entirely Iraqi film, from writing to performance. The screenplay is by Haidar al-Omar and Abd al-Hadi Mubarak, whom several sources also name as the author of the story. Released in Baghdad on 20 June 1955, it cost about eight thousand dinars and earned more than forty thousand.
Who it is for
In Iraqi Arabic, ninety-five minutes. A rural melodrama with clearly divided roles.
Prizes and reception
The first entirely Iraqi feature film and the biggest box-office success of Iraqi cinema; its release has become the celebration of national cinema.