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NAYEF

Nayef Nawaf, a nine-year-old, was orphaned when fighting between Daesh (Islamic State) and Iraqi forces began in his hometown.
After the death of his parents, he had been drafted to Ashbel, or 'lion cubs' (Daesh children forces) by a relative when he ran from Fallujah to Baghdad in search of shelter and his older brother.
Thousands of children have been orphaned and displaced in Iraq's bloody past—some cared for by extended family members, others left to their own devices. Nayef is one of these forgotten children. He lives in The Safe House—a charity-run orphanage in Baghdad—and despite the lack of funding to keep it running, its founder and manager, Hisham Al Thahabi, continues to house children like Nayef, saving them from their demise. But, unfortunately, each of these children has its own tragic story.
The film, shot over nine months, follows the story of Nayef and his friends living in The Safe House.

  • Ali Arkady
    Director
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    52 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    November 1, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    14,000 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Iraq
  • Country of Filming:
    Iraq
  • Language:
    Arabic
  • Shooting Format:
    digital,35mm
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • The Lift-Off Sessions
    England
    United Kingdom
    March 15, 2021
  • Festival del Cinema di Cefalù
    Palermo
    Italy
    May 1, 2021
  • First-Time Filmmaker Sessions
    England
    United Kingdom
    April 26, 2020
  • Saratov Sufferings Documentary Drama Film Festival
    Saratov
    Russian Federation
    September 17, 2020
  • Paris Lift-Off Film Festival
    Paris
    France
    October 25, 2020
  • Africa Film For Impact Festival
    Federal Capital Territory, Abuja
    Nigeria
    November 3, 2020
    Semi-Finalist
Director Biography - Ali Arkady

Ali Arkady (b. 1982) is an artist, photographer, and filmmaker from Iraq. In 2009, Ali joined Metrography, the first Iraqi photo agency, and in 2014, he joined VII Photo Agency as part of the VII Mentor Program. In 2017, Ali had to flee Iraq with his family when his life was threatened after photographing Iraqi armed forces committing war crimes. He sought refuge in Europe, where he was granted asylum and has subsequently built a new life.
His photographs of war crimes in Iraq were published worldwide by international media and put pressure on the Iraqi government to acknowledge the crimes committed by their soldiers. For this work, he won the prestigious Bayeux Prize for War Correspondents in 2017 and the Free Press Unlimited Most Resilient Journalist Award in 2019 for his exceptional courage and persistence. His work was shown as part of the Venice Biennale 2017.
Ali’s work focused on armed conflict and the daily life of his countrymen during the American occupation and the rise of the Islamic State. For over 18 years, he has portrayed the conflicts that Iraq has experienced and the consequences of that conflict with sensitivity and an unflinching eye. His work in Iraq also includes illuminating the plight of the Yazidis, the violence of the Islamic State, and the ensuing displacement of internal populations. He has also worked in Syria, Turkey, Tunisia, and Europe.
He became a teacher in a UNHCR program for several Yazidi girls fleeing Islamic State who wanted to train to be photojournalists. He continues to mentor several of the students seven years later, and, in addition, he trains young men and women from the Arab-speaking world through programs at the VII Academy.

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Director Statement

I saw many wars passing since the 80s—generations stamped with destruction, hatred, and conflict between sects both directly and indirectly. People were disconnected from the outside world with information entering through limited means.

These circumstances brought me to focus on issues connected to war and struggle. Participating in the liberation of the Daesh (Islamic State) areas, my work concentrated on humanitarian stories concerning Iraq. In addition, I was interested in researching and documenting the conflicts between communities and minorities who once lived peacefully in the middle East.

Joining VII Photo Agency in 2014 and operating remotely for four years as part of the VII Mentor Program allowed me to continue working on these topics concerning humanitarian and Iraqi issues.

In early 2015 a friend suggested I visit a charity-run orphanage in Baghdad—The Safe House. There I was introduced to Nayef Nawaf, then a nine-year-old orphan. Meeting young Nayef and the other 32 children who lived with him inspired a short documentary film project. Filming in the orphanage culminated in compelling footage for a feature-length film.

Naif was eight when fighting began between Daesh (Islamic State) and Iraqi forces in his hometown. After the death of his parents, he had been drafted to Ashbel, or 'lion cubs' (Daesh children forces) by a relative when he ran from Fallujah to Baghdad in search of shelter and his older brother.

Thousands of children have been orphaned and displaced in Iraq's bloody past—some cared for by extended family members, others left to their own devices. Nayef is one of these forgotten children.

The film, shot over nine months, follows the story of Nayef and his friends living in The Safe House.

Despite being chronically underfunded, the founder and manager of The Safe House, Hisham Al Thahabi, continues to house children like Nayef, saving them from their demise.

Since I last met Nayef, he has still been searching for his older brother.