The First Movie

This time around film enthusiast, director, and traveler Mark Cousins set out for the Kurdish village of Goptapa, Iraq, the target of a 1988 chemical attack ordered by Saddam Hussein. It’s the period of Ramadan so adults stay in their houses while kids are free to enjoy hanging out outside. Cousins brought along a projector, a few classic movies, and three video cameras. Sensitive to their situation, he then makes a real connection with the local kids, gradually getting to know their dreams, desires, and experiences, even those beyond the war. The director is also the guide to the film: he speaks to the kids and projects old movies for them, including Spielberg’s cult hit E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. The filmmaker’s commentary serves as a near-constant backdrop as he reminisces about, among other things, his own childhood in Belfast. His sincere excitement and enthusiasm are palpable, and his film serves as a reminder of the fact that children are the same the world over, full of imagination, naivety, and wisdom. (Karlovy Vary International Film Festival)