Letters From Baghdad

Letters from Baghdad is a documentary about Gertrude Bell, a British woman often referred to as “the female Lawrence of Arabia”, who travelled and worked in several Arabic countries at the beginning of 20^th century. Bell had a lot of influence on this part of the world, working on behalf of Great Britain, and she played an active role in drawing up the new borders of Iraq. She also played a major part in the creation of the Iraqi Museum that unfortunately was severely damaged during and right after the American Invasion in 2003. This film is based on the letters Bell wrote to her family and friends, and the famous actress Tilda Swinton reads Gertrude’s letters in the documentary. Bell’s letters, along with astonishing footage from the region, makes for a remarkable film, and gives a unique insight into Bell’s life and how she helped shape the Middle East after World War I.

Sabine Krayenbühl is an award-winning director and editor who has made over 20 documentaries and short films. The production company Krayenbühl founded together with Zeva Oelbaum produced Letters From Baghdad. Oelbaum is a director and producer, and the two women are co-directors on the company’s first feature length documentary.