Hayder Mousa Daffar’s “Dreams of Sparrows” takes us into Baghdad’s war ravaged streets by the citizens themselves. These people grab us by the arm and drag us into a hardcore reality. Assembled by Daffar, several Iraqi filmmakers grab cameras and take to the streets of their crumbling Baghdad to document the anger, the confusion and the conflicting opinions about Saddam Hussein during a time when the dictator has been captured by U.S. forces. Over time, these opinions change as many pro-American Iraqis realize that they’re in the same shitty mess (if not worse) they were before Saddam’s capture.
These filmmakers present Baghdad’s opposing views the best way anyone can, by letting the different voices dwelling within speak for themselves. As we’re so used to the news telling us what life is like on the streets of Baghdad during these warring times, this taste of reality is so bitter it just might make you choke, but it’s something we should all experience anyway. “Dreams of Sparrows” is a frightening, eye-opening kick in the butt.
