Watch Son of Babylon

Son of Babylon is a 2009 Iraqi drama film directed by Mohamed Al-Daradji. The story follows Ahmed, a young boy, and his grandmother Um Ibrahim in the aftermath of the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime. Ahmed's father was a soldier during the Gulf War and has been missing ever since. Um Ibrahim decides to take Ahmed on a journey to find his father's whereabouts, and together they begin a long and perilous search across the war-torn country.

The film opens with Ahmed's grandmother, played by Shazada Hussein, gathering the belongings of her eldest son, Ahmed's father, who has been missing for 12 years. She prepares to go on a journey to find him, taking along her young grandson Ahmed, played by Yasser Talib, who has never met his father. Their journey takes them through the dangerous and ruined landscape of Iraq, meeting various people along the way, all of whom are searching for loved ones or closure.

On their journey, they discover the extent of the atrocities committed by the former regime, as they encounter the graves of many massacred civilians, and damaged infrastructure. They visit different cities, each with its own story of brutality and loss. Along the way, they face numerous obstacles, including angry soldiers, dangerous militias, and treacherous terrain.

As they travel, Ahmed and his grandmother meet a variety of people, all of who have been affected by the war in some way. They encounter a Kurdish family who have lost everything during Saddam's regime and seek revenge, and a young man who was imprisoned for years and has lost nearly everything. They also meet a woman who has been searching for her husband, who went missing during the war, and a man who was forced to join Saddam's army as a young boy.

Despite the challenges, Um Ibrahim and Ahmed remain determined to find Ahmed's father. Throughout their journey, they rely on each other and the stories they tell to keep going. They learn the importance of hope during such dark times and the ways in which one can still find beauty amidst destruction.

The performances in Son of Babylon are incredibly authentic, with many of the actors being non-professionals hailing from Iraq. The cinematography captures the stunning landscape of Iraq while also displaying the devastation caused by war. Director Mohamed Al-Daradji uses a quiet yet impactful approach, allowing the story and characters to speak for themselves, and highlighting the humanity of those affected by war.

Son of Babylon is an emotional and thought-provoking film that sheds light on the impact of war on individuals and their families. It is a powerful tribute to those who have suffered during the many conflicts that have plagued Iraq. Ultimately, the story is about love, loss, and the importance of never giving up hope.

Son of Babylon is a 2015 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 31 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.2.