Voices of Iraq allows us to see Iraq through the point of view of those most affected by the war - ordinary Iraqis themselves. Most footage of Iraq on the news consists of footage of bombed-out cars and of grieving widows; Voices of Iraq is a refreshing break from this.
A substantial amount of the film shows Iraqis goofing off in front of the camera, as anyone would do when being filmed in an informal setting. This footage is the most revealing, reminding us that the Iraqs have a sense of humour and are human beings after all, something that is easy to forget when reading about the daily body count after each day's car bombing.
One must wonder at the objectivity of the film, however. The Iraqis shown are almost all pro-American, and despite the film being advertised as 'filmed and directed by the people of Iraq', this covers up the fact that the film has been edited and put together by non-Iraqis. The relatives of those Iraqis killed in air strikes or pro-Saddam Iraqis are noticeably absent from the film. Despite this, the film allows us to see life from the point of view of a long-suffering and long-misunderstood people.
A substantial amount of the film shows Iraqis goofing off in front of the camera, as anyone would do when being filmed in an informal setting. This footage is the most revealing, reminding us that the Iraqs have a sense of humour and are human beings after all, something that is easy to forget when reading about the daily body count after each day's car bombing.
One must wonder at the objectivity of the film, however. The Iraqis shown are almost all pro-American, and despite the film being advertised as 'filmed and directed by the people of Iraq', this covers up the fact that the film has been edited and put together by non-Iraqis. The relatives of those Iraqis killed in air strikes or pro-Saddam Iraqis are noticeably absent from the film. Despite this, the film allows us to see life from the point of view of a long-suffering and long-misunderstood people.