Mohamed Al-Daradji
Company Director
Sundance fellow & Variety’s Middle Eastern Filmmaker of the year 2010, Mohamed studied Film and Television Production at the Media Academy in Hilversem, before travelling to the UK to complete two Master degrees in Cinematography and Directing at the Northern Film School in Leeds, winning the prestigious Kodak Student Award for best commercial in Cinematography.
Following the collapse of Saddam’s regime in 2003, Mohamed returned to Iraq to make his first feature film Ahlaam, an insight into the chaos and confusion of a war-torn Iraq following 3 decades of dictatorship. Ahlaam screened at over 125 International Film Festivals, received over 22 awards, and represented Iraq for Oscar and Golden Globe Consideration in 2007. Undeterred by his past experience, Mohamed returned to Iraq in 2008 to shoot the highly acclaimed feature film, Son of Babylon.
Mohamed is currently in development with his 3rd feature film “The Train Station”. The project was selected for Cannes IFF, LATELIER and has already received support from the BFI, Sanad Abu Dhabi Film Festival, Screen Yorkshire and won the Kocca award at Pusan IFF.
Isabelle Stead
Company Director
Following 5 years of working in Los Angeles in both independent films and the studio system, Isabelle line produced numerous features, shorts and directed the film/fine art installation ‘Cthonic’ that questions the American Ideal. Isabelle, a Sundance fellow, then returned to the UK to complete a Masters degree in Film Production & Moving Image at The Northern Film School Leeds, whilst directing a documentary for the NHS on Cancer. Isabelle then began work on producing the highly acclaimed Son of Babylon (Iraq’s official entry for the Oscars 2010) , a 7-country co-production that screened at the Sundance IFF and The 60th Berlin International Film Festival picking up The Amnesty Film Award & The Peace Prize and Karlovry Vary IFF Netpac Award, earning Isabelle British Council’s Producer on the Move 2010.
As a cornerstone of the marketing of Son of Babylon, Isabelle established The Iraq’s Missing Campaign, an international landmark global campaign that is actively encouraging governments and the world’s media to support the unearthing and identification of the victims of Saddam’s Mass Graves, a cause central to the story of Son of Babylon. Isabelle will continue to make films with a social purpose that raise awareness and push boundaries.
Atia Al-Daradji
Company Director – Iraq Al-Rafidain
Graduate of the Baghdad fine art academy, Atia founded IRAQ AL-RAFIDAIN, Iraq’s most well established film company. Atia a key figure in the Middle East film industry has developed strong relationships with production companies throughout the world. The producer of Mohamed’s debut film Ahlaam, and subsequent producer of Iraq: War, Love, God and Madness and Son of Babylon, Atia combines the methods of western film practice, with his own self-styled hard-line approach to production that is vital in making films in Iraq.
Atia continues to crusade for the liberation of Iraqi culture and the establishment of an Iraqi Film Industry through the films Iraq Al-Rafidain and Human Film produce in hope the stories told bring the issues within to global audiences and through his directorial debut In My Mother’s Arms, that will be complete in early 2011 Atia is uncovering Iraq’s most vulnerable.
Zainab Al-Hariri
Post-Production Manager
A graduate of the Northern Film School, Zainab started working with Human Film before undertaking her studies and continued throughout. Firmly cemented within post-production Zainab’s background and focus is on managing the post-production needs and workflow of the company whilst providing vital communication links between the UK and the Middle East.
Kathryn Wilson
Assistant Producer / Festival Coordinator
Having developed an interest in socially-orientated international cinema during her studies at the Northern Film School, upon graduation Kathryn joined Human supporting the day-to-day running of the company and co-ordinating the company’s film festival participations.
Meanwhile Kathryn is actively striving to heighten the social impact of Human Film’s projects by working to develop, implement and build their related campaigns.
