Baghdad Cinemas and the Remnants of Iraqi Moviegoing

posted by Ross Melnick on October 4, 2010 at 9:27 pm

BAGHDAD, IRAQ — BBC News reports on the sad state of moviegoing in Iraq and how piracy and cultural change has destroyed a once vibrant cultural practice.

I met a man the other day who runs a film institute, teaching young film-makers in Baghdad the art of making movies. He told me something shocking – most of his students had never been to the cinema.

Why not?

“There are no cinemas in Baghdad anymore,” he said.

That is the answer you always get, but it is not actually true. There are cinemas, but they are not the kinds of places you would want to bring a date, if you know what I mean.

(Thanks to Lena Suk for the story.)