Said Effendi

Screened on May 15, 2025, at 5:15 PM,

as part of the Cannes Classics section at the Palais des Festivals, Salle Buñuel.

The film is set in Baghdad during the 1950s, where Said Effendi, a schoolteacher, moves with his family to anew home in a modest neighborhood after being forced to vacate their previous house by order of the landlord.
Said had moved from one home to another many times until he finally settled next to Izzat, the cobbler, one of the neighborhood’s residents.

In his new residence, Said faces social challenges with his neighbors, particularly with Izzat.
Conflicts soon arise between their children, escalating tensions between the two families.

Over time, Said uncovers the superficial affection shown by the neighborhood’s residents, realizing that behind their seemingly kind smiles lie hidden resentments and ill intentions.

He also observes the neglect and decay that permeate the area, deepening his sense of alienation and concern. The situation worsens when the landlord demands that Said leave the house.

Yet, in an unexpected show of solidarity, the neighbors unite to oppose his eviction — a rare act of communal support against injustice. As tensions rise, Said’s son is injured in a fight with Izzat’s children, confronting Said with an even greater dilemma: how to protect and raise his children while maintaining peaceful relations with his neighbors, all without falling into violence or revenge.

Said Effendi is considered one of the landmark works of Iraqi classic cinema. The atmosphere of the film is infused with Italian neorealism, with its emphasis on everyday life and the struggles of ordinary people. Through its raw and unpolished portrayal of reality, the film captures the social and emotional complexities of its characters, making it a poignant reflection of its time.

Restoration Notes

This film was restored as part of the Iraqi Cinematheque Project, supported by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and implemented by Expertise France in partnership with with the Al-Hasan Ibn Al-Haytham Committee for Iraqi Visual Memory – Office of the Iraqi Prime Minister.

The 4K restoration was completed in 2025 by the French National Audiovisual Institute (INA) from the original 35mm negative image and 35mm optical sound print

Restoration Coordination

• Supervision: Wareth Kwaish
• Restoration Coordination: Audrey Birrien (INA),Ayman Nahle & Léa Cesena
• Preserved at: The Al-Hasan Ibn Al-Haytham
• Committee for Iraqi Visual Memory

The restoration of Saïd Effendi (1956) was carried out through a meticulous inspection, repair, and digitization of the original 35mm elements, including positives, negatives, and optical sound reels.

Despite minor projection damage and traces of historical laboratory work from Soviet and Chinese labs, the film materials were in good condition.

The original negatives, manufactured by Kodak in the mid-1950s, required careful intervention: aged adhesive tape repairs were removed and replaced with modern archival splices tonsure long-term stability without compromising the film’s authenticity.

Manual maintenance, chemical cleaning, and digital techniques were applied to stabilize both image and sound while respecting the integrity of the original work. While the negative and positive prints showed no significant signs of acetate decay, testifying to their resilience after decades of challenging storage conditions, a mild vinegar syndrome was detected in the optical sound reels, leading to a recommendation for their separate preservation. Through this careful restoration, Saïd Effendi regains its original visual and narrative strength and safeguards a vital chapter of Iraqi cinematic heritage

Logline

In 1950s Baghdad, a schoolteacher tries to
navigate the delicate balance between parenting,
community harmony, and personal ethics without
violence.

Saïd Effendi سعيد أفندي
The film is based on the short story “Fight”
by the Iraqi writer Edmond Sabri.

Runtime: 86 minutes
Country: Iraq
Original Language: Arabic
Filming Location: Baghdad

Main Crew

• Director | Kameran Hosni
• Producer | Abdul Karim Hadi
• First Assistant Director | Ibrahim Jalal
• Writer (Story) | Edmond Sabri
• Screenplay | Kameran Hassani
• Director of Photography | Albert Oshana
• Editor | Kamiran Hassani
• Makeup Artist | Mahdi Al-AuqatiScript
• Supervisor | Fawzi Al-Dawoodi
• Image Development | AlbertoSound
• Development | Hamzaz
• Photographer | Nerso
• Calligraphy and Titles | Yahya Jawad