The Colour of Our Time (2021-Today)
dir. Hayder Helo
Born from an act of urgency in 2003, as Baghdad was engulfed by war, the film becomes a testament to friendship and brotherhood—how bonds forged through struggle can sustain life across decades of displacement.
Filmed over two decades across Baghdad, Damascus, Beirut, Cairo, and Northern Europe, The Colour of Our Time follows Muhannad, Duraid, and Hayder — three friends bound by art, exile, and the will to create — revealing how their personal stories resonate with the larger histories of exile and artistic resilience across the Arab world.
Filmed over two decades across Baghdad, Damascus, Beirut, Cairo, and Northern Europe, The Colour of Our Time follows Muhannad, Duraid, and Hayder — three friends bound by art, exile, and the will to create — revealing how their personal stories resonate with the larger histories of exile and artistic resilience across the Arab world.
Category: Experimental Documentary
Stage: Post-Production
Producers: Anekdote (Belgium), Hassala Films (Egypt)
Co-Producers: Quetzalcoatl (Belgium), Rola-Productions (Iraq)
Length: approx. 85’
Languages: Arabic, English, Flemish
Shooting Locations: Iraq, Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, Netherlands, Belgium.
This film has been presented at EuroDoc (2024), CPH:DOX (2025), Aflamuna Connection (2025), Flanders Film Days (2025) and Cairo Film Connection (2025).
The film is supported by Arab Fund for Arts and Culture (AFAC) and the Iraqi Film Fund.
Stage: Post-Production
Producers: Anekdote (Belgium), Hassala Films (Egypt)
Co-Producers: Quetzalcoatl (Belgium), Rola-Productions (Iraq)
Length: approx. 85’
Languages: Arabic, English, Flemish
Shooting Locations: Iraq, Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, Netherlands, Belgium.
This film has been presented at EuroDoc (2024), CPH:DOX (2025), Aflamuna Connection (2025), Flanders Film Days (2025) and Cairo Film Connection (2025).
The film is supported by Arab Fund for Arts and Culture (AFAC) and the Iraqi Film Fund.
