Role: Director | Producer | Cinematographer
From Baghdad to The Bay is my first feature length film. I started filming in June of 2018 and premiered the film at Cinequest where it won the Jury Award for Best Documentary at the Cinequest Film Festival.
SYNOPSIS
From Baghdad to The Bay follows the epic journey of Ghazwan Alsharif, an Iraqi refugee and former translator for the U.S. military. Wrongfully accused of being a double agent, tortured by the U.S. military and ostracized from family and country, we follow Ghazwan as he rebuilds his life in the United States in the most remarkable way.
Additional details including how to watch the film can be found on the film’s website www.frombaghdadtothebay.com
AWARDS
Best Documentary Feature, Cinequest
Best Film, Programmer’s Award for Excellence, OUTshine Film Festival Miami
First Time Feature Filmmaker Award, GI Film Festival
Festival Theme Award for Enriching the Human Spirit Through Film, Ojai Film Festival
Best Documentary, qFlix Philadelphia
Celebration of Courage Award, Out Here Now
WHY THIS FILM IS IMPORTANT NOW
FROM BAGHDAD TO THE BAY intersects with some of the most important, diverse and relevant topics of our time, from the polarized debate around immigration and the pervasive animosity towards people from the Middle East, to the aftermath of war and contentious torture tactics, to Human & LGBTQ rights. Centered around Ghazwan Alsharif’s powerful personal story, the film evokes conversations about how these issues intersect and urges us to reflect on these issues globally.
Ghazwan’s story also provides an entry point for a wide and diverse set of audiences to discuss and challenge personal paradigms that each viewer will inevitably bring to the theater. His gregarious and outgoing personality touches people in a universal way that has already been proven to spark deep change in individuals plagued by fear of the unknown and prejudice of many types.
The film is not only socially relevant but also a spectacular emotional roller coaster ride. With unexpected twists and turns that will sometimes shock and sometimes delight, you may get angry and you could cry but you will also most definitely laugh. It is a raw and deeply personal look at one man’s harrowing and heartfelt journey to be true to himself amidst extreme adversity and a true embodiment of the “American Dream.” Ghazwan illustrates the hope and spirit that the United States still inspires – in spite of the current state of affairs portrayed in the mainstream media.
