Baghdadi Street Life ( ﺑﻐﺪادي ﺷﺎرع ﺣﯿﺎة ): Using I-Doc Practice to Challenge Stereotypes of Iraq and Iraqis in Hollywood Cinema

Hollywood depictions of Iraq and Iraqis have long perpetuated Orientalist discourse, which reinforces negative stereotypes and biasses towards people of the Middle East. These representations produce and reproduce the idea of Iraq as an ‘uncivilised’ and violent country, and depict Iraqis as irrational, barbaric, untrustworthy, and backward. This aligns with Edward Said’s notion of ‘reductive repetition’, a disseminating of simplistic and inaccurate stereotypes about the East to create a distorted image of its culture, history, and people. This practice reinforces a sense of Western superiority and exoticises the East, marginalising and dehumanising its diverse peoples, cultures, and stories. This creative practice project utilises interactive documentary practice to challenge Hollywood stereotypes. Baghdadi Street Life is a resource that confronts assumptions regarding modern Iraq and urban Iraqis and shows how filmmakers can move beyond harmful or stereotypical representations of cultural Others. The project begins by discussing several recent Hollywood films set in Iraq, describing two of these in detail. It then moves on to offer three i-doc case studies. While the storytelling techniques of contemporary Hollywood dazzle its audiences, the films selected highlight how stereotyping in these dramas perpetuates Orientalist representation. The i-doc case studies then offer diverse ways to create a more interactive and non-linear presentation of participant stories and cultural resources. This creative practice research has allowed for adaptation and reflection to be translated into an accurate representation of Iraqis’ lived experience, beauty, and culture. The i-doc produced, Baghdadi Street Life, informs documentary filmmaking practice and cultural representation through three main areas of discussion/description: Hollywood’s Orientalist representations, the impact of Hollywood on Iraq, and Iraqis sharing and producing their own stories. The i- doc explores how a counternarrative, such as that created through interviews with Iraqis and participant-created materials, can improve the representation of cultural Others and challenge Hollywood’s Orientalist discourse. A cultural/artistic call to understand and embrace difference, Baghdadi Street Life demonstrates how i-doc methods and collaborative content production can be integral to improving the representation of Hollywood’s Others.