Additional screenings and Q&A sessions will take place on Friday, 17 February, 1 p.m. and Saturday, 18 February, 4 p.m.

Links:
Wednesday, 15 February, 5:30 p.m. at Cinemateket – tickets
Friday, 17 February, 1 p.m at Cinemateket – tickets
Saturday, 18 February, 4 p.m. at Cinemateket – tickets

​After the Americans left Iraq in 2011, a male nurse named Nori Sharif was asked to report on the state of his country, providing unique access into one of the world’s most dangerous and inaccessible areas – the “triangle of death” in central Iraq. Working in the local hospital in Jalawla, he filmed the victims of war over the course of five years. The shocking images show families torn apart, maimed and damaged by the violence in Iraq. And every day more arrive, as the conflicts continue and life is disrupted by attacks over and over again. Often it isn’t even clear who the adversaries are. But the threat level increases, and when the Iraqi army pulls out in 2013 because of militant groups, the population flees – accompanied by the majority of the hospital staff. Sharif is one of the few who remain. When IS advances on Jalawla in 2014 and finally takes over the city, Sharif continues to film. Then he too has to flee at a moment’s notice, to bring himself and his family to safety.

In November 2016 “Nowhere to Hide”, directed by Zaradasht Ahmed, was declared the winner of the Best Feature-Length Documentary Award at IDFA, The International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam. The IDFA competition programme is one of the most prestigious in the world, and the main prize has never before been won by a Norwegian film. The jury stated in their announcement that “[t]here are those films which are wonderful to see and there are films that the world needs to see. The film we choose is both of these things. The experience was immersive and left us deeply touched. The Director respected the unique perspective that the only the subject could have and in doing so gave us an unprecedented window into the real life lasting consequences of war."

Director and Photographer Zaradasht Ahmed is a Kurdish/Norwegian Filmmaker. He was born and raised in Northern Iraq. His previous work includes the award-winning “Road to Diyarbakir”, and he has many years of experience working with documentary filmmaking in the Middle East, North-Africa, and Asia, as well as training local people in documentation. His latest film on the topic of illegal immigration to Europe (for SVT Swedish Television) – “Fata Morgana”, has been screened at several Film festivals.

The Fritt Ord Foundation has provided NOK 450 000 for the development and production of “Nowhere to Hide”.