SXSW

Lions of Mesopotamia had its world premiere at SXSW, on Saturday, March 9^th. The film is the true account of hope and victory when Iraq’s national soccer team – aka Lions of Mesopotamia – earned the 2007 Asian Cup amid the bloodiest days of Iraq’s civil war. The fairytale story is directed by Emmy winner Lucian Read and produced by Jupiter Entertainment.

In an interview with the film’s producer Patrick Reardon and director Lucian Read after their premiere, here is what they had to say:

Can you tell us your backgrounds and what led you both to filmmaking?

PR – My entire career has been focused on documentary and reality content. Early on I realized that “real-life” storytelling could be just as compelling as the best scripted content. Producing documentaries comes with its own unique challenges, which drew me in as a storyteller. There’s no script, and often you have no idea where the story will take you until you get there. But when it all comes together in a final project, it’s an incredibly rewarding experience.

LR – I began my career as a photojournalist before becoming a news producer working in Iraq and Afghanistan. My first experience in documentary film was as a co-director on a film about the Occupy Wall Street movement. That film, 99%, was selected for the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. Around this same time, the rise of the docuseries gave me the opportunity to move from pure journalism, which I had practiced in the past, into in-depth and cinematic documentary projects – particularly the series America Divided, which I created and worked on with Norman Lear. That explains how I moved toward filmmaking; Why I made this move derives from a love of story and image making that goes back to my childhood. I am never happier than when I have a camera in my hand or when I have the honor to have people share their stories with me. This has been true for me from the start.

How did your working relationship begin?

PR – Lucian and I met when we came together to produce Lions of Mesopotamia. His passion and knowledge of the story were immediately evident; it was clear that no one was better suited to bring this story to life. I have no doubt that this experience will lead to a long professional relationship.

LR – We met in the summer of 2022 through our partner Sugar23. It was exciting to pitch the film to Patrick. He immediately understood how special Lions of Mesopotamia could be, and he and Jupiter were incredibly supportive every step of the way.

You tell a story about an Iraqi national soccer team. How did you come across this story and decide to make a film about it?  

LR –  The story came to me through my friend and producer on the film Adam Linehan. He had been working in Iraq on a project about US veterans volunteering to fight against ISIS in northern Iraq when someone shared the story with him. I initially was unaware of this story, but I immediately became drawn to it because of the years I spent working in Iraq as a photojournalist. It's an amazing story on its face. It was also an opportunity to film a story about Iraq firmly from the Iraqi point of view where the Iraqis are undeniably the inspirational heroes – something that exceedingly is rare both inside and outside of Iraq.

Docs are very hard to make and take so long. How long did the film take to make from the shooting and the editing?

PR –  Like many documentaries, this project came together over many years. Lucian and the producing team had already put in years of work prior to me and Jupiter Entertainment coming aboard. Even with this critical groundwork, the actual act of producing the film took several years. There were many unique challenges along the way: shooting and editing remotely during Covid restrictions; traveling to a challenging region of the world; and overcoming language and cultural barriers. But Lucian and his team never wavered; instead, they responded to many of those challenges with creative solutions that ensured that the story was told as authentically and artistically as possible.

LR – Films are always a marathon. I joined this film in 2019. Some efforts go back even farther than that with initial development taking place just before the pandemic. Fortunately, we had just enough material to complete all the elements before lockdown. Then, it was a waiting game. It was another year until I had the good fortune to be introduced to Patrick and Jupiter through our partner Sugar23 when we felt that we could safely carry out any kind of production in Iraq. It took nearly another year before all the pieces were in place for us to travel to Iraq to finally scout production and meet with the players, our Iraqi crews and on-the-ground production partners. Ultimately, the film was shot in Irbil and Baghdad in the Spring of 2022, and editing wrapped just before the end of the year... a long journey that, in some ways, still isn't over.

What was the hardest part of making the film? Was it a difficult journey? 

LR – We faced various kinds of difficulty in creating the film. First, there was Covid; then, we encountered what almost always is the hardest part: assembling the financial resources and practical support necessary to physically make the film. After that, we had to secure the participation of the players who very much wanted this film to be made but were also, understandably, very protective of the story. That protective instinct was why no one had really told their story before us. And, yes, it was a difficult journey. Every film I've been involved in was willed into existence. I've never found the shortcut. Thankfully, though, everyone on the team was passionate about seeing it through to the end and making the most beautiful, moving film possible.

Do you think sports make for a more peaceful society? What do you hope people will take away from the film? 

LR – I think in this case it did. Every Iraqi with whom I've spoken who lived through this time has given the team and their accomplishment tremendous credit to binding up Iraq's wounds and bringing the country peace for a time. What I hope people take from the film is a new and more nuanced understanding of Iraq. I hope people seeing the film will feel closer to Iraq and Iraqi people. It's not just a place of dictatorship, violence, and terror. It has its own heroes, joys and people working to make their country a better place. For Iraqis seeing the film, I hope it's a reminder of something they can feel proud about and that it rekindles their feelings of hope and unity.

What do you think is the future of soccer and sports in Iraq and the Middle East? 

LR – We'll see. Obviously Saudi Arabia is investing tremendous resources in its own league. Iraqi football has struggled since the passing of the 2007 "golden generation," but they did quite well this year in the most recent Asian Cup, so perhaps there is a resurgence in the making.

The film premiered at SXSW. How was that experience?

LR – It was wonderful finally to be able to share the film the way we envisioned it with an audience who came fresh to the story. The excitement was palpable, and the post-screening engagement was smart from people who had obviously been moved. The fact that I'm also an Austin native put the cherry on top.

PR – We always believed that this film would play beautifully in a theatrical setting. The film is stunning, and the energy that a packed theater provided only enhanced the story on the screen.

FILM SYNOPSIS
LIONS OF MESOPOTAMIA tells the remarkable story of the Iraqi national soccer team’s journey to become Asian Cup champions in 2007 during the bloodiest days of their country’s civil war. In victory, the national team, made up of Sunni, Shia and Kurdish players, the sons of sworn enemies battling in a bloody war, united their country in its darkest hour. Over a decade later, for the first time ever, the players sit down and tell their story of hardship, uncertainty and fear in a two-decade journey to a victory only they believed was possible. LIONS OF MESOPOTAMIA tells this untold story of war, football and redemption to remind us all that, even when all hope is lost, love and humanity can prevail.

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Director | Lucian Read

Producers | Adam Linehan, Lucian Read, Patrick Reardon, Mehmet Aktas, Mohamed Al Daradji, Ryan Bundra, David Hillman, David Katsman, Michael Sugar

Cinematographer | Adam Carboni

Editor | Lucas Harger

Production Designers | Logan White, Fexredin Nadir

Sound Designer | Mark Bartels

Music | Jace Clayton

Principal Cast | Nashat Akram, Arwa Damon, Ahmed Mnajed, J. Paul Bremer, Noor Sabri, Hawar Mullah Mohammed, Medhi Al-Kharki, Abbas Obeid, Hassanane Balal

·       Patrick Reardon, Producer & President of Jupiter Entertainment, says: “Against all odds, the Iraqi national team succeeded where politicians had failed by uniting a country divided by politics and religion. The team found common ground in the national sport but was faced with tremendous obstacles on the road to victory. It’s quite possibly the most incredible, heartfelt sports story that very few know, and we’re honored to share it through firsthand accounts of those who have lived this.”

·       Lucian Read, Director, says: “The film is, in essence, the history of Iraq in the wake of the Gulf War through the end of the sectarian civil war but told through the lives of the Iraqi national soccer team. It powerfully shows the resilience and heroism of the Iraqi people through decades of conflict. While the story is a national treasure, our film marks the very first time in nearly 20 years the team has ever told it in full, and it feels even more relevant today in our war-torn world. We are all proud to introduce these incredible players to the rest of the world.”

Interview by Vanessa McMahon