Hanging Gardens (2022 film)

Hanging Gardens (Arabic: جنائن معلقة, romanized: Janain mualaqa) is a 2022 drama film directed by Ahmed Yassin Al Daradji who co-wrote the screenplay with Margaret Glover. It is a co-production between Iraq, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Kingdom.^[1]

Hanging Gardens
Promotional release poster
Directed by	Ahmed Yassin Al Daradji
Screenplay by	Ahmed Yassin Al Daradji Margaret Glover
Produced by	Huda al Kadhimi Margaret Glover May Odeh
Starring	Jawad Al Shakarji Akram Mazen Ali Wissam Diyaa Hussain Muhammad Jalil
Cinematography	Duraid Munajim
Edited by	Kamal El Mallakh
Music by	Suad Bushnaq
Production companies	Odeh Films Purattu Film Production
Release date	September 9, 2022 (2022-09-09) (Italy)
Running time	117 minutes
Countries	Iraq Palestine Saudi Arabia Egypt United Kingdom
Language	Arabic

The film premiered in the Horizons section at the 79th Venice International Film Festival, and was the first Iraqi film ever to be selected by the Venice Festival.^[2][3] It was later awarded best film at the 2022 Red Sea International Film Festival.^[4][5] It was selected as the Iraqi entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards.^[6]

Premise

In Baghdad’s city dump (ironically nicknamed The Hanging Gardens) As’ad, a 12-year old boy, finds a sex doll, left by the American soldiers during the Invasion of Iraq.

Cast

• Wissam Diyaa
• Jawad Al Shakarji
• Hussain Muhammad Jalil as As’ad
• Akram Mazen Ali

See also

• List of submissions to the 96th Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film
• List of Iraqi submissions for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film