“Kullshi Mako” … Baghdad Between Memory and Hope
The film “Kullshi Mako” by director Maysoon Al-Bajji narrates human stories from Baghdad in late 2006, monitoring fear and loss, and in return, the human ability to persevere and hold on to hope.
NEWS CENTER_ The film” Kullshi Mako” is considered one of the Iraqi films that addressed the daily life of Iraqis in one of the most difficult periode in the history of modern Iraq.
The film is directed by Iraqi Maysoon Al-Bajji, and it is her first feature-length narrative film. It was screened in 2021, after long years of work and preparation.
Its events take place in Baghdad during the last days of 2006, in a period when sectarian violence left the family despite the harsh circumstances surrounding them.
The events revolve particularly around the character of “Sara,” Played by actress Darina Al-Jundi. Sara is a writer and a single mother living with her daughter, and she has become unable to write due to the painful events she witnesses around her. While she tries to find a way to continue her life, she meets several of the neighborhood’s residents, and each character has their own story, fears, and dreams.
The film does not focus on war events and battles directly, but is more concerned with the human being and what war leaves inside them. We see the fear that accompanies the characters, the loss of loved ones, anxiety about the future, and the desire to emigrate. At the same time, we see their attempts to hold on to life and hope. This is why Baghdad in the film appears as if it is a character present in itself, carrying in its streets and houses the stories and pains of its residents.
Director Maysoon Al-Bajji chose to present these stories in a calm manner close to daily life, instead of relying on traditional war scenes. The completion of the film took long years, as the journey of working on it began years before its screening, and the production process faced many difficulties.
One of the most prominent features of the film is its title "Kullshi Mako," an Iraqi expression that carries within it a clear paradox; when a person says "Kullshi Mako," it may seem as if they are saying that things are normal and there is nothing, while the events of the film reveal that there are many things happening behind this simple expression.