'Baghdad Blog' heads for big screen

Marc Evans is making a feature film based on Iraqi Salam Pax's daily diaries.

May 25 2006

'Baghdad Blog', a collection of daily dispatches written by Iraqi architect Salam Pax, is to be turned into a feature by FilmFour and Intermedia.

Salam Pax is the online pseudonym for an Iraqi blogger who writes an online diary called 'Where is Raed?', a hilarious and sometimes disturbing account of life under a dictatorship and during the allied invasion.

The blog was serialised in The Guardian, and subsequently turned into a bestselling book.

'My Little Eye' helmer Marc Evans is set to direct, and he had this to say about the project: 'Insider war stories are so often about the combatants. Salam's account is uniquely different. It is about what it's like to have war arrive on your doorstep.

'How he keeps his sense of humour throughout what he calls the 'liber-vasion' of Baghdad is a miracle in itself. Or maybe it's his sense of humour that allows him to keep his sanity. Either way it makes for very inspiring material and a fantastic opportunity (and challenge!) for us as film-makers.'

Ross Klavan ('Tigerland') is writing the script for 'Baghdad Blog', with production due to start this autumn.