The Lions By The River Tigris

By the Tigris River in Mosul, Iraq, and among the ruins of the old city after ISIS’s devastation, we meet Fakhri and Bashra, who refuse to be broken by the shadows of the past.

In 2014, the terrorist group ISIS attacked and occupied the city of Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest city, with a population of 1.7 million, located on both sides of the Tigris River. The city was meant to become the caliphate’s capital in Iraq.

One of the first things the group did was destroy the city’s cultural treasures. When they were driven out three years later, 54,000 homes had been destroyed, and 80% of the old city had been reduced to rubble.

Amid the remnants of the city’s former glory, we meet the art collector Fakhri. His dream is to open a museum filled with relics from the past. Then there is Bashar, who never forgets the beautiful house his family had in the old city and often dreams of returning to it.

What connects the two is what remains of Bashar’s family home – a beautiful portal with two lions. Fakhri wants to buy it and display it in his museum. But letting it go is not easy for Bashar.

The film had its world premiere at the documentary film festival CPH:DOX in Denmark in 2025.

Pub Talks: Iraq | Cultural Heritage in War, Conflict Over Cultural Heritage

What happens with cultural treasures during war? We provide insightful perspectives – with the possibility of buying a drink in the bar – before the screening on Friday, April 4th. The mini-lecture takes place in Vikakjelleren from 17.30 to 17.50

You do not need a ticket for the film to attend the event.

Panel | Cultural Heritage – The Invisible Victim of War?

Following the Norwegian premiere on April 4th, the film’s director, Zaradasht Ahmed, and Maria Christina Vibe from the Directorate for Cultural Heritage will have a conversation about cultural heritage in times of war. The conversation is moderated by Sara Aghili Taslimi and will be in Norwegian.

Director's Talk // Zaradasht Ahmed

The film's director, Zaradasht Ahmed, will be present for a conversation after the screenings of the film on Saturday April 5th at 16.15 and Sunday April 6th at 13.45. 

The screenings are done in collaboration with the Fritt Ord Foundation.

Director

Zaradasht Ahmed is a Norwegian-Kurdish filmmaker with a background as an artist and journalist. He primarily works as a documentary filmmaker and has directed films such as Persecuted (2008), The Road to Diyarbekir (2010), Fata Morgana (2014), and Nowhere to Hide (2016). The Lions of the Tigris River is his latest feature film.

This film is part of