It’s been 10 years since we lost our dad. This photo was taken in Amman just before my father and I drove back to Baghdad in early 2004 and the beginning of an intense, life-changing journey documented in my film Nice Bombs.
We had been apart for many years and away from Iraq for more than 24 years, which made the trip deeply significant. My father, Hameed, was a risk-taker and adventurer who never needed a map. “Let’s just keep driving,” he would say, and this helped when I took my own risks and traveled and entered new and strange places.
It’s ironic that he brought us to the United States, yet was never able to truly settle here.
Becoming a father myself, growing older, and reflecting on my own childhood have given me an even deeper love and appreciation for my father.
I miss you, Dad 🤍
We are excited to play our film Trip Ziggurat at the 
“Through the Student Lens” festival presents assorted work, boosts film accessibility
Our short film, Trip Ziggurat, premiers tonight at the