Santa Claus in Baghdad

The story

In 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.

Cast

T Tamara DhiaAmal N Nora ArmaniAmal's Mother D Demosthenes ChrysanAmal's Father M May CalamawyHala (as May El Calamawy) J John Rahal SarroufMr. Kareem M Miriam HabibStudent 1 A Alexandra NaderStudent 2 A Ameena SaisRafeeka S Sara HassanDeena D Dody EidBilal D David ZakiSami M Marie-Thérèse Abou-DaoudBilal's Teacher

See more cast

M Manny PiatosUncle Omar M Monica FarringtonFareeda N Nikhail AsnaniFareeda's Son N Nadia HassanFareeda's Daughter G Gershon EignerBook Merchant