"My Country, My Country" follows the agonizing predicament and gradual descent of one man caught in the tragic contradictions of the U.S. occupation of Iraq and its project to spread democracy in the Middle East. Following the January 2005 Iraqi elections, the story unfolds through the eyes of Dr. Riyadh, a medical doctor, devout Sunni Muslim, father of six, and Sunni political candidate. Dramatically interwoven into the personal journey of Dr. Riyadh is the apocalyptic and often surreal landscape of the U.S. military occupation, private security contractors, and U.N. officials who orchestrate the elections amidst untenable security and political circumstances. Using verité footage to interweave multiple storylines, "My Country, My Country" unfolds like a narrative drama told through actions and events as they occur. A rare look inside the world of Iraqis living under U.S. occupation. "We read daily accounts of suicide bombings, U.S. military strikes, etc., and yet these stories remain abstract events that don't connect to human beings. The U.S. media covers the death of each U.S. citizen, yet there are no accurate reports on Iraqi civilian deaths. The U.S. politicians on the left and right debate the war, and yet the debate rarely takes into account the lives of Iraqis or the U.S. soldiers whose lives are on the line. I believed that a story about a man fighting for democracy while living under U.S. occupation would contribute something new to my country’s understanding of this war." Laura Poitras
Production: Praxis Films, New York + Boston
Cinematographer, Sound, Producer: Laura Poitras
Composer: Kazim Al Sahir
Editors: Erez Laufer, Laura Poitras
Format, screen ratio: HD (shot on Digital Video), 1:1.78, Color
Running time: 90 minutes
Languages: English, Arabic, Kurdish
