InfoAnda - Iraqi cinemas struggle to restore former glory

Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case
Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They

Taiwan denies boycotting Australian film festival
Thursday, August 6, 2009

AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e

Merkel's support dips, regional ally resigns International
Thursday, September 3, 2009

By Sarah Marsh and Noah Barkin

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German

Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who

Asian markets mixed after Wall Street rally
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an

Toyota aims to roll out plug-in Prius in two years | 14 December 2009
German universities to train Muslim imams, teachers | | 14 October 2010
Jennifer Aniston launches perfume | | 22 July 2010

Brazil says U.S. spat signals tough security reform | | 12 September 2010

Forum Views () Forum Replies ()

Read more with google mobile : Iraqi cinemas struggle to restore former glory

Yahoo! My Yahoo! Mail More Yahoo! Services Account Options New User? Sign Up Sign In Help Yahoo! Search web search Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Asia Pacific World Iraqi cinemas struggle to restore former glory AFP - Saturday, June 5 Send IM Story Print Iraqi cinemas struggle to restore former glory BAGHDAD (AFP) - – The Atlas film theatre in central Baghdad is a shadow of its former self -- its red seats are badly torn and white neon lights flicker constantly, stopping only when a power cut turns them off entirely. Its clients fill a handful of seats in the massive dusty hall. The world over, cinema is associated with glitz and glamour but not so in Iraq where the few remaining theatres are largely empty and downtrodden, serving clients accused of seeking Western "perversions". "Cinema is dead in Iraq," said Abu Ahmed, one of just 15 men who turned up to watch an eight-year-old French film, "Irreversible," starring Italian actress Monica Bellucci. "Look, there's no one in the room. In the '90s, the Atlas used to be packed," he said, watching the first scenes of a movie that was judged disturbing by many Western viewers and would be considered offensive and against Islamic values by the vast majority of Iraqis. "Now, the only people who come are the unemployed and those with time to kill," the 52-year-old civil servant added. "Me? I came here because I enjoy movies about the police." Abu Ahmed declined to give his real name, a sign of the negative connotations of visiting the cinema in Iraq, where strict interpretations of Islam have been on the increase since the 2003 US-led invasion. The Atlas itself carries faded posters that would likely spur the anger of many a religious conservative. An advertisement for the nearly decade-old "Vanilla Sky" features Cameron Diaz in a skimpy swimsuit, while the poster for "Irreversible" shows Bellucci wearing a wet T-shirt, exposing her breasts. The films themselves are a far cry from the quality which cinema-goers in most of the world would expect. In place of high-definition images and surround sound, Iraqi cinemas run grainy, flickering images and crackly sound. Theatre owner Saad Hashim Ahmed explained the discrepancy. The video being projected on screen was a poor-quality two-dollar pirated DVD bought from a Baghdad market, and tickets were also cheap, at just 1,000 Iraqi dinars (90 cents) per seat. "A 35mm copy in Egypt costs 20,000 dollars," said the 53-year-old man with grey hair and moustache. "We just do not have the money." "Cinema is dead!" he moaned in a voice betraying his desperate efforts to keep the Atlas open. "Iraqis have lost contact with the cinema, they are not used to it anymore." According to Ahmed, the downfall of Iraqi cinemas -- just three are open in Baghdad today, compared to 25 in the capital and 30 more nationwide before the invasion -- can be put down to the lack of security. "After the fall of Saddam Hussein, the security situation deteriorated," he said. "After that, we had sectarian war. Every Iraqi family has fallen victim to this, so how can they go to the cinema?" Another cinema goer, who did not want to be named, pinned the blame on another development in the aftermath of the invasion. "People just watch television, they don't go out," the man said. Post-Saddam Iraq has witnessed a massive growth in satellite television, with countless homes planting dishes and accessing hundreds of previously-unavailable channels from the region and around the world. On the widely-made allegation in Iraq that cinemas are the haunt of voyeurs out to see nudity or of homosexuals, he replied: "Iraq is a tribal society. People are not used to films here." Fuad al-Bayati and Thaer al-Hajj Mohammed, two Iraqi film producers who grew up in Baghdad, are out to change that. Last year, Bayati and Mohammed bought the Semiramis, close to the Atlas in central Baghdad's Karrada district, and hope to restore it to its former glory of decades gone by. In the 1960s and 1970s, the building was a hub for culture and was known for its screenings of Egyptian and European films. "Iraqis are very cultured," Mohammed insisted. "Twenty years ago, right here, we could watch French films starring Alain Delon, Catherine Deneuve and Yves Montand." "Kids and families are eager to return to the cinema," said Mohammed, who together with his business partner wants to target young families by putting on performances of comedy theatre. "They can see that our theatre is respectable and clean, and we hope they will begin coming to see films in the evening," with night-time security far improved from the dark days of 2006 and 2007, the part-time actor added. Recommend Send IM Story Print Related Articles Tokyo screenings of dolphin film cancelled after threats AFP - Saturday, June 5 Japanese conductor Ozawa cancels more events AFP - Saturday, June 5 Wenders hails 3D as 'ideal tool' for documentaries AFP - Saturday, June 5 2 more Japan theaters cancel dolphin hunt film AP - Saturday, June 5 Comedy supplants news as most popular online video: Pew AFP - Friday, June 4 News Search Top Stories US employment report sparks global recovery fears US stocks plunge, Dow down over 3.0 percent Defiant activist ship steams on towards Gaza McDonald's recalls 12 mln tainted 'Shrek' glasses G20 'reassured' by stabilisation plans: Lagarde More Top Stories » ADVERTISEMENT Most Popular Most Viewed Most Recommended Cricket sex video reveals wild mating behavior Russia finds 10,000 bombs on sunken German ship 'Mars crew' locked up for 520 days of isolation US employment report sparks global recovery fears McDonald's recalls 12 mln tainted 'Shrek' glasses More Most Viewed » Hubble catches planet being devoured by its star The point about pain: New study sheds light on acupuncture Ocean fish could disappear in 40 years: UN Paris museum burglar grabs 120-million-dollar art haul US team creates first 'synthetic life' More Most Recommended » Elsewhere on Yahoo! Financial news on Yahoo! Finance Stars and latest movies Best travel destinations More on Yahoo! News Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Subscribe to our news feeds Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS » More news feeds | What are news feeds? Also on Yahoo Answers Groups Mail Messenger Mobile Travel Finance Movies Sports Games » All Yahoo! Services Site Highlights Singapore Full Coverage Most Popular Asia Entertainment Photos World Cup 2010 Copyright © 2010 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved. Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Community | Intellectual Property Rights Policy | Help

Other News on Saturday, 5 June 2010
Ukraine disappoints Russia on Georgia rebel regions
US firm launches rocket on test flight
Afghan conference calls for talks with militants
Myanmar seeking to develop nuclear weapons: report |
Estonia keen to host EU's future IT agency: minister
Hungary raises specter of Greece |
G20 'reassured' by stabilisation plans: Lagarde
Defiant activist ship steams on towards Gaza
GlobalEnglish an Internet coach for language of business
Low IQ increases men's suicide risk: study
McDonald's recalls 12 mln tainted 'Shrek' glasses
Lead poisoning from mining kills 163 in Nigeria |
BP Cautiously Optimistic As It Siphons Oil Through Containment Cap
Facebook vandal denied bail after death threats
Pope calls for 'desire for harmony' in divided Cyprus
Oil Blobs Floating Onto Pensacola Beach
Qaeda in Iraq struggling after leadership blow: U.S. |
Wal-Mart Announces $15 Billion Share Buyback Program
Twitter touted as major force behind opposition victory
Disney Orders 4th Season Of "Wizards Of Waverly Place" And Film Sequel
Open source Linux wins Quebec court case against Microsoft
McDonald's Voluntarily Recalls 12 Million Shrek Glasses Over Cadmium Concerns
Chile begins to expel Dutch murder suspect to Peru |
US Cyber Command chief warns of 'remote sabotage'
Kurds say small unit of Iranian troops enters Iraq |
Deng dipper consigns France to defeat
SKorea formally asks UN to respond to ship sinking
Hackers plant viruses in Windows smartphone games |
AOL shares up on Microsoft bid target talk |
Baseball seeks halt to porn, indecency on MLB.com |
Robert Redford attacks big oil, politics on spill |
Trash-coated 'hotel' set up in Rome
Ferran Adria to open new eatery in Barcelona
At China's World Expo, a muted approach to democracy
World Cup wines blur South African colour line
Tokyo screenings of dolphin film cancelled after threats
Japanese conductor Ozawa cancels more events
Wenders hails 3D as 'ideal tool' for documentaries
Iraqi cinemas struggle to restore former glory
European nations seal divorce law pact
Kristen Stewart calls rape remark enormous mistake |
Justin Bieber wins fans by working like an old pro |
Robert Redford attacks big oil, politics on spill |
Foreign troop death toll in Afghanistan hits 230
Flotilla raid goes viral as Israel floods YouTube
Dutch murder suspect handed over to Peru police: AFP
Israel shadows new Gaza-bound ship: activists |
Afghan conference calls for talks with Taliban
Google to give private Wi-Fi data to European regulators: FT
Aid ship intercepted by Israeli troops: Gaza committee
U.S. says weighing new options over North Korea |
US employment report sparks global recovery fears
Nadal calls truce with title rival Soderling
Autopsy shows Gaza activists were hit 30 times: report |
Private US firm launches rocket on test flight
Dow hits four-month low on weak jobs report
US stocks plunge, Dow down over 3.0 percent
Hungary debt fears gnaw at euro |
Privately Developed Rocket Launched From Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
Tea Party Candidate Surges Ahead In Nevada Senate Race
Japan PM-elect picks Noda for fin minister: report |
White House Denies Improper Influence in Primary Elections
MasterCard Launches MoneySend Service For iPhone
U.N. to send extra police to post-quake Haiti |
U.S. Markets Tumble On Employment Data
Teen breaks Cleveland drought, wins Spelling Bee
Reforms help states cut foster-care populations
Minimum and maximum temperatures in Celsius
US defense chief accuses NKorea of recklessness
Press laments Japan's football team after loss to I.Coast
Japan's new PM scrambles to form cabinet
China exults in shock defeat of France
Bangladesh mourns dead in deadliest fire
Manny Pacquiao named Fighter of the Year
Delhi's 'tongas' forced to ride into the sunset
India pledges to engage Pakistan despite concerns
Verizon may be alone in following AT&T rate change |
New Zealand says no to Rocky Horror's Riff Raff
G20 set to disagree on banking reform
Hackers plant viruses in Windows smartphone games |
S.Korean firms sign deal on Argentine lithium project
Honda says Chinese labor dispute has been settled
G-20 finance chiefs mull deficits, banking rules
China to review plans for Agricultural Bank's IPO
Laurie Anderson performs Opera House dog concert
US mixed marriages hit record high: study
Lil Jon returns with new energy, new album |
Dolphin hunt film screenings cancelled in Tokyo |
Michael Franti channels health scare into Sunshine |
Chace Crawford busted for pot possession |
Album sales plummet to lowest total in decades |
Charlie Sheen faces a most uncommon jail in Aspen |
Medvedev hopes 'irresponsible' Iran listening
Medvedev urges global eco-disaster fund
British troops have to stay in Afghanistan: Fox
Militancy-hit Pakistan ups defense spending by 17 percent |
Bomb at Afghan governor office kills 1, wounds 14
Bomb outside Afghan governor's office wounds 6
G20 warns of major challenges to global recovery
Japan ruling party support leaps on new leader: poll |
Berlin, Moscow eye quick U.N. move on Iran sanctions |
Obama: We'll Make Sure BP Pays "Every Single Dime"
Vice President Biden Will Head To Africa
Barenaked Ladies Guest Star In "Bachelorette" Episode
Gunmen kill politician of winning Iraqi bloc |
BBC America To Bring British Kitchen Culture To USA In "Come Dine With Me"
Greek austerity protest sees low turnout in rain |
Cyprus tells Pope split threatens heritage |
South Africa's Zuma faces another family scandal |
US demands gloabl action against North Korea
Protests in Taiwan against China trade pact
Hong Kong scientists identify cancer stem cells
Arms to Taiwan no reason to suspend US-China ties: Gates
Petronas to focus on Malaysian oil fields: report
Trio abducted by Islamists found dead in Philippines
Aussie dogs go barking mad for a little mutt music
Geithner urges China to resume exchange rate reform
G20 says world economy recovering faster than expected
G-20 finance chiefs agree on need to curb deficits
G-20 agrees to advance reforms, rebalance growth
G-20 finance chiefs mull deficits, banking rules
Moscow "Launches" Crew To Mars In Simulated Mission
Cuba singer Rodriguez wistful and polemical in U.S. show |
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

USD EUR - 1 year graph		BlogMeter 1.01