TV documentary film (40 minutes) English subtitles

Guest appearance by Taher Barakat on Violin

This is a unique opportunity to see a film aired on the Arabic satellite channel Al-Arabiya earlier this year. The film explores the disproportionate impact made by Jews on music and culture in the Middle East before Arab Nationalism drove them out. Jewish musicians dominated the Iraqi Radio orchestra in the 1940s right up to their forced exodus to Israel.
The film features the compositions of the Jewish al-Kuwaity brothers, still popular today, and contains rare footage of the Jewish singer Salima Murad. Programme consultant Emile Cohen will lead the post-film discussion.

In collaboration with Harif