DUH! ‘American Sniper’ Pulled From Baghdad’s Only Cinema

Staff — Fri, 06 Feb 2015 21:08:33 +0000

Did anyone really think American Sniper would play well in Iraq? Well, it didn’t. Sniper briefly played in Baghdad, the city that’s home to the $700 million American embassy (the most expensive and largest on earth). However American Sniper was pulled from Baghdad’s only movie theater for… wait for it… dehumanizing Iraqis.

We have three words for the film’s distributor… know your audience.

from The Independent:

Due to objections from the minister of culture and a slew of rowdy screenings, the film – which follows the story of real-life Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle – has been pulled from Baghdad’s only cinema for “dehumanising Iraqis”.

“He told me the film insults Iraqis,” said cinemas manager Fares Hilal who withdrew the film to avoid fines and possible closure. “If we show it, we will be criticized. But if we don’t, we lose money.”

The six-screen cinema, which opened last year at Mansour Mall, is the first to offer Iraqis an American movie-going experience. Sarmad Moazzem, a security adviser at the cinema, was outraged by the US film’s inaccuracies and insensitive portrayal of Iraqi culture.

American Sniper Draws Crowds… In Bagdad

Staff — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 17:05:43 +0000

The reaction of some Iraqi moviegoers to “American Sniper” as it plays in Bagdad is surprising.

Whether it’s simply out of curiosity, or a true reflection of public sentiment is difficult to know.

Whatever the case, the film continues to draw crowds, stir emotions and create controversy wherever it plays.

[Excerpt] from Global Post

In Baghdad, where much of the film is set, the movie drew full crowds at one of the city’s new upscale cinemas. Dressed in a fur-collared coat and loafers, Mohammed says many of the showings were sold out, and he knows of people who had to book their tickets a day in advance during opening week.

Mohammed says one of the film’s opening scenes, when Kyle spots a woman and child who appear to be preparing to attack US troops during the initial invasion of Iraq, had the entire audience on the edge of their seats.

“When the sniper was hesitating to shoot [the child holding the RPG] everyone was yelling ‘Just shoot him!’” he said.

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DUH! ‘American Sniper’ Pulled From Baghdad’s Only Cinema

American Sniper Draws Crowds… In Bagdad