Santa Claus in Baghdad
2008In impoverished Baghdad under Saddam's dictatorship, 16-year-old Amal hopes to regain her social status at school by volunteering to find a book as a class gift for the departing literature teacher. Meanwhile, her emotionally fragile little brother becomes obsessed with the notion that a visiting uncle from America--whom he confuses with Santa Claus--will bring him toys. Ashamed never to have been able to give his son a toy, the child's father sells some more prized family possessions and buys a model car for him.
Acted in
Tamara Dhia
as Amal
Nora Armani
as Amal's Mother
Demosthenes Chrysan
as Amal's Father
May Calamawy
as Hala (as May El Calamawy)
John Rahal Sarrouf
as Mr. Kareem
Miriam Habib
as Student 1
Alexandra Nader
as Student 2
Ameena Sais
as Rafeeka
Sara Hassan
as Deena
Dody Eid
as Bilal
David Zaki
as Sami
Marie-Thérèse Abou-Daoud
as Bilal's Teacher
Manny Piatos
as Uncle Omar
Monica Farrington
as Fareeda
Nikhail Asnani
as Fareeda's Son
Nadia Hassan
as Fareeda's Daughter
Gershon Eigner
as Book Merchant