Cablegate: Egyptians Reflect On the Night Baghdad

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 000651

SIPDIS

FOR R, NEA/ELA, NEA/PPD, IIP, PA

E.O. 12958: NA
TAGS: PREL EG US OIIP KPAO KIRF PREL EG US OIIP KPAO KIRF
SUBJECT: EGYPTIANS REFLECT ON THE NIGHT BAGHDAD
FELL

UNCLASSIFIED

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1. (U) SUMMARY From a standing ovation at the Cairo
International Film Festival to standing room only
crowds in working class downtown theaters, the film
The Night Baghdad Fell (NBF) has enjoyed critical
and popular success in Egypts capitol since its
premier on December 8. The film condemns US
involvement in Iraq while offering a poignant
criticism of an indifferent Egyptian government and a
cynical Egyptian society. Response to particular
scenes and themes varied according to audience, but
the public and press have applauded the film overall.
The film is one example of compelling artistic works
offered to Cairenes this winter. END SUMMARY
ARY
2. (U) On December 8, Press Off and Egyptian
glitterati attended the premier of The Night Baghdad
Fell (Lailat Sequoot Baghdad) at the 29th Cairo
International Film Festival. The only Egyptian entry
in the festival, NBF was warmly received and there was
palpable disappointment by Egyptian artists and
critics when it failed to win any awards. Some
members of the press argued that the perceived slight
was politically driven by the GOE in response to the
films anti-GOE and anti-USG themes. Other members of
the press suggested that NBF was a victim of jury bias
against Arabic films. Notably, not a single Arabic
film won a prize outside of the festivals Best
Arabic Film category.
3. (U) On January 12 during the Muslim Eid holiday
when Egyptians frequent the cinema more than any other
time of year, Press Off attended another screening of
NBF in a crowded downtown Cairo theater filled with
young couples and families. Again, the audience raved
over the film, this time largely in support of its
f its
anti-USG content.
4. (U) The Night Baghdad Fell is the story of one
Egyptian familys remarkable efforts to protect their
country from a feared US invasion in the days
following Operation Iraqi Freedom. The lead
protagonist is an Egyptian headmaster whose family is
traumatized by media reports of the American attacks
on Baghdad. He begins to have nightmares that Egypt
will also be attacked, that Cairo will be destroyed,
and that his daughter will be sexually assaulted by
the US military. The headmaster thus employs a former
student, once a brilliant scientist and now a cynical
deadbeat, to develop a deterrent weapon for
Egypt. The student proceeds to do so with growing
support from the surrounding Egyptian community who
eventually enlist in a private army organized by the
headmaster to fight the USG. The film ends with the
successful development and implementation of the
weapon (an electrical shield that can implode
attacking US airplanes) and the headmasters closing
osing
rhetorical question, What would have become of Egypt
without this weapon?
5. (U) NBF is unquestionably a condemnation of the
Iraq War, Abu Gharaib, Iraqi civilian casualties and
overall perceived American barbarism and imperialism.
Actual footage of Secretary Rice speaking about Syria
and Iran is shown on the familys television. In the
film, these countries are subsequently attacked by the
US. Director Mohamed Amir is quoted by Reuters
(12/28/05) as stating ``I hoped the film would be
shown in America and Americans should see it so that
they would know to what extent the U.S. invasion of
Iraq ... lost America its supporters in the region.
6. (U) In another scene, the young scientist is
distracted from this work by his fantasies about
Secretary Rice. While this brief scene has been

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highlighted in the Egyptian press, there was no clear
reaction by audience members during either screening
and no reference was made to the scene during
conversations with audience members following the
film.
.
7. (U) Audiences recognized the films portrayal of
Egyptians as impotent, militarily and physically, in
the face of American military power. The greatest
crowd pleaser at the working class theater Rivoli
was when the young scientist finally succeeds in
developing a prototype for the deterrent weapon and
displays it before his community and new wife during a
suspenseful test trial. The crowd literally cheered
as miniature planes exploded in air.
8. (U) Aside from US foreign policy, the comedys true
foil is Egyptian government and society. The
headmasters friends try to persuade him that the GOE
must already have a deterrent weapon, otherwise why
would it be so nonchalant and submissive in the face
of a US threat? In the favorite scene of the affluent
premier audience, the young scientist commits himself
to the weapon project when the headmaster agrees to
offer him his daughters hand in marriage. When the
daughter admits to the scientist that she is only
only
marrying him for her country, he replies: Well, at
least I got something out of Egypt.
9. (U) Overall, both English and Arabic speaking
audience members praised the film to Press Off and
condemned the war in Iraq. Without exception, these
same individuals emphasized that Egyptians love
Americans. While this duality was absent from NBF, it
is frequently voiced on the Egyptian streets.
10. (U) On December 31, Press Off viewed an exhibit
entitled Psych Ops as part of the Photo Cairo Festival
curated by the cutting-edge Townhouse Art Gallery.
The exhibit consisted of several chairs facing a
television that played a genuine 1960s black and white
USG psych ops training film. The film described how
USG officials can win the hearts and minds of the
people of Hostland. The exhibit also distributed
free of charge some 2000 glossy pamphlets containing
over 200 reprints of USG leaflets dropped on Iraq and
Afghanistan. The pamphlets were allegedly acquired
ed
from various websites including centcom and ebay. The
Egyptian and international audiences of Townhouse
Gallery showed particular interest in these pamphlets,
copies of which may now be seen on coffee tables
across Cairo.
END CABLE
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