Once Upon a Time in Iraq explained

Genre:Documentary
Runtime:296 minutes (BBC)
113 minutes (PBS)
Producer:Jo Abel
Executive Producer:Will Anderson
Andrew Palmer
Narrated:Andy Serkis
Country:United Kingdom
Company:KEO Films
Language:English
Arabic
Network:BBC
Num Series:1
Num Episodes:5

Once Upon a Time in Iraq is a 2020 British documentary television miniseries directed by James Bluemel and narrated by the British-Iraqi actor Andy Serkis.[1] [2] Composed of five episodes, it features interviews with Iraqi citizens, American military personnel and international journalists about the Iraqi conflict and its effects on the Iraqi people.[3] [4]

Overview

The series chronologically covers the 2003 invasion of Iraq by a United States-led coalition that overthrew the government of Saddam Hussein, and its subsequent occupation of Iraq (2003–2011); the first phase of the Iraqi insurgency (2003–2006); the Iraqi Civil War (2006–2008); the post-US withdrawal insurgency (2011–2013); and the War in Iraq (2013–2017), an armed conflict between the Iraqi Army and its allies against the Islamic State.

The first episode was broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC Two on 13 July 2020. A heavily edited, single-episode, feature-length version was subsequently broadcast in the United States by PBS as part of their Frontline series on 14 July 2020.[5] The American version omitted the interviews with Rudy Reyes and Nathan Sassaman among others.[6] The American version also completely omits the third episode on the Battle of Fallujah.

The series was widely acclaimed in the British press, winning the awards for best documentary and outstanding series at the Rose d'Or festival in December 2020, in addition to being named Best Factual Series at the 2021 British Academy Television Awards.[7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12]

Interviewees

Note: Several of the above were omitted from the version made for American television.

Reception

The Guardian called Once Upon a Time in Iraq "a gripping, harrowing masterpiece" and praised its content, noting the use of interviews with people who were there, as opposed to prioritising interviews with politicians and analysts.[28] New Statesman called it a "duty" to watch and praising Bluemel's storytelling.[29]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Aly. Remona. 13 July 2020. 'No one is pure evil': the documentary bringing a human face to the Iraq war. 12 December 2020. The Guardian. en.
  2. Web site: Littlejohn. Georgina. 13 July 2020. Everything you need to know about new BBC documentary series Once Upon a Time in Iraq. 12 December 2020. inews.co.uk. en.
  3. Web site: Once Upon A Time in Iraq. 12 December 2020. www.bbc.co.uk.
  4. Web site: Cooke. Rachel. 10 August 2020. Why everyone must watch Once Upon A Time in Iraq. 12 December 2020. New Statesman. en.
  5. Web site: Once Upon A Time In Iraq. 12 December 2020. FRONTLINE. en-US.
  6. Web site: Iraq War: "We are systematically programmed to kill" - BBC. Youtube. 26 July 2020.
  7. Web site: O'Grady. Sean. 13 July 2020. Once Upon a Time in Iraq review: A sensitively made film about the war – at last, we hear from those who went through it. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220524/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/once-upon-time-iraq-bbc2-review-saddam-hussein-tony-blair-isis-a9616151.html . 24 May 2022 . subscription . live. 12 December 2020. The Independent. en.
  8. Web site: Nicholson. Rebecca. 13 July 2020. Once Upon a Time in Iraq review – a gripping, harrowing masterpiece. 12 December 2020. The Guardian. en.
  9. News: Singh. Anita. 10 August 2020. Once Upon A Time in Iraq, episode 5 review: this is the documentary series of the year. en-GB. The Daily Telegraph. 12 December 2020. 0307-1235.
  10. Web site: Morgan. Jillian. 10 December 2020. "Once Upon A Time In Iraq" wins best doc honors at 2020 Rose d'Or Awards. 12 December 2020. reelscreen.com.
  11. Web site: 9 December 2020. Rose d'Or 2020 winners announced – Rose d'Or Awards. 13 December 2020. Rose d'Or Official Site. en-GB.
  12. Web site: BAFTA TV Awards 2021: The full list of winners. 8 August 2021. Sky News. en.
  13. Web site: 3 January 2021. Once Upon a Time in Iraq: Fallujah. The BBC. 3 August 2020.
  14. Web site: 3 January 2021. Iraq War: 'I am here today because another man died'. The BBC. 26 July 2020.
  15. Web site: 3 January 2021. Once Upon a Time in Iraq: Insurgency. The BBC. 3 August 2020.
  16. News: Colin. Freeman. 3 January 2021. Ahmed Albasheer: if freedom of speech is under threat in the West, the rest of us will never have it. The Telegraph. 3 August 2020.
  17. Web site: Once Upon A Time In Iraq - Transcript. 26 March 2021. FRONTLINE. en-US.
  18. News: Carol. Midgley. 26 December 2020. Once Upon a Time in Iraq review — every head of state should watch this and learn. 0140-0460. The Times. 21 July 2020.
  19. News: Rebecca. Nicholson. 3 January 2021. Once Upon a Time in Iraq review – a gripping, harrowing masterpiece. The Guardian. 13 July 2020.
  20. News: 'How I survived an IS massacre'. en-GB. BBC News. 26 March 2021.
  21. News: Priyanka. Boghani. 3 January 2021. Four Iraqis on Searching For Hope 17 Years After the Iraq War. PBS. 14 July 2020.
  22. News: 3 January 2021. FRONTLINE Presents "Once Upon a Time in Iraq"— the Iraq War as You've Never Seen It Before. PBS. 29 June 2020.
  23. News: Ursula. Kenny. 3 January 2021. I got hundreds of messages after Once Upon a Time in Iraq. The Guardian. 5 December 2020.
  24. Web site: 13 July 2020. 'No one is pure evil': the documentary bringing a human face to the Iraq war. 26 March 2021. the Guardian. en.
  25. Web site: 3 January 2021. Once Upon a Time in Iraq: Saddam. The BBC. 3 August 2020.
  26. News: Carol. Midgley. 26 December 2020. Once Upon a Time in Iraq review — a compelling look at war from street level. 0140-0460. The Times. 14 July 2020.
  27. News: James. Bluemel. 3 January 2021. I hope viewers will reflect on the fact that the invasion of Iraq was utterly pointless. The Telegraph. 13 July 2020.
  28. Web site: 13 July 2020. Once Upon a Time in Iraq review – a gripping, harrowing masterpiece. 26 March 2021. the Guardian. en.
  29. Web site: Why everyone must watch Once Upon A Time in Iraq. 26 March 2021. www.newstatesman.com. 12 August 2020 . en.

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