Baghdad Twist

Born in Baghdad in 1966, Montreal-based filmmaker Joe Balass takes a fascinating look at his native Iraq and the fate of its Jewish community through the eyes of his mother Valentine, almost four decades after they fled for their lives. Balass uses a wealth of previously unseen material to build a portrait of the years of persecution leading to their escape, including poignant home movie footage of a wedding reception where guests were determined to celebrate with the latest dance craze – the Twist. Many knew they were living on borrowed time. SM