Theatre of War — 2010



Digital, 4min 06sec

Director / Producer: Richard Mosse
Cinematographer / Editor: Trevor Tweeten
Colourist: Jerome Thelia





Theatre of War was shot from one of Saddam Hussein's hilltop palaces situated in the mountains overlooking the River Tigris in central Iraq. It is a slow, virtually static video piece redolent of classical history painting. Audio was recorded at the official US military hand-over ceremony at the nearby city of Saniya. A mullah's prayer for unity among Arabs is spoken, after which the pan-Arab national anthem, Mawtini (My Homeland) is played, emphasizing Arab national solidarity and a pan-Arab territory. March 2009.