Documentary / USA, England, France / 2017 / 95’ / Black & White
English, Arabic / Subtitles: Turkish
Letters from Baghdad focuses on the story of Gertrude Bell, the British explorer and politician, who is compared with Lawrence of Arabia due to her political influence on the Middle East. Before she was sent on a mission to Iraq following World War I, Gertrude Bell had spent many years in Middle East. She had deep knowledge of the history and politics of the region. Today, Bell is one of the few women who left a mark in the male-dominant sphere of politics. In this film, moments from Bell’s life are told with a voiceover scripted from Bell’s personal letters, diaries, and confidential communications. Tilda Swinton reads Bell’s words on historical footage obtained from various archives. Letters from Baghdad brings together selections from thousands of pages penned by Gertrude Bell with historical images that have never been screened before. This exceptional documentary is masterfully crafted with meticulous editing and a thorough archival research.
Director: Zeva Oelbaum, Sabine Krayenbühl
Narrated by Tilda Swinton
Presentation: Sabine Krayenbühl