Pride of Baghdad

Author(s): Alfredo (NY)
Pride of Baghdad

Directed by Hayao Miyazaki
Story Written by Brian K. Vaughan
Screenplay Written by Hayao Miyazaki & Brian K. Vaughan
Produced by John Lasseter
Based on the Graphic Novel by Brian K. Vaughan (Writing) & Niko Henrichon (Art)
Cinematography by Atsushi Okui
Art Direction by Yoji Takeshige
English Voice Casting by Joshua Rodriguez
Film Edited by Takeshi Seyama
Original Score Joe Hisaishi
Original Song "Price of Freedom" by Annie Lennox

CAST:
Laurence Fishburne - (voice) ...Zill
Alfre Woodard - (voice) ...Safa
Sanaa Lathan - (voice) ...Noor
Jaden Smith - (voice) ...Ali
Michael Clarke Duncan - (voice) ...Fajer
Omar Sharif - (voice) ...Sanji
John Malkovich - (voice) ...Malakai

Tagline: "In war, humans are not the only casualties."

Synopsis: In the spring of 2003, a pride of lions escaped from the Baghdad Zoo during an American bombing raid...

Zill: The ferocious leader of the pride. Having lived most of his life in captivity, Zill has little to no recollection of life beyond the walls of the Baghdad zoo.
Noor: A young lioness, who is tired of being held in captivity and wishes to go back to wild. Before the air raid she tries to conspire with the other animals in the zoo to break free.

Safa: An old lioness, who is blind in one eye. She has lived much of her later years of life in captivity and doesn’t care to go back into the wild because she remembers all too well the dangerous outside of the zoo.
Ali: The youngest member of the pride. Ali is Noor's cub. He is extremely energitic and curious about life.

Their zoo has been bombed and they are left to fend for themselves. The keepers of the zoo had fed them and then abandoned them to their fate. The sky is full of fighter jets and the city streets look empty. We see Baghdad through the eyes of the lions who are rummaging around the war torn city of Baghdad. We see them duck and dodge artillery fire and bombs as they try to make safe passage through the city. They run across civilian casualties as well as the casualties of other animals caught in the crossfire.

Lost and confused, hungry but finally free, the four lions roamed the decimated streets of Baghdad in a desperate struggle for their lives.

What the Press Would Say:

Based on actual events that occurred in 2003, this intelligent, thought-provoking, and ultimately heartbreaking tale directed by Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke) and written by graphic novelist Brian K. Vaughan introduces us to the titular pride of four lions who escape a Baghdad zoo during an American bombing and embark on a thrilling and dangerous journey through the war-torn city. Along the way, they are forced to address the harsh reality of being free in a world that has gone completely awry. Thus giving us one of the most adult animated films ever made and best film about the war in Iraq, animated or otherwise. Told entirely from the viewpoint of the animals, who speak as people do, we’re offered a fascinating glimpse into the everyday life and culture of the great beasts. Miyazaki develops the pride of lions as a complex and wonderfully dysfunctional family. The events of the story take place in the better part of one day, creating an overall adrenaline rush that is well suited to a wartime drama, and Miyazaki’s tight plotting and straightforward storytelling keeps everything moving along smoothly and efficiently.

Like the thoughtful writer that he is, Vaughan is never too obvious or heavy-handed, despite his use of such a potent and politically-charged narrative setting. Through the lions’ eyes, we’re offered a sober and effectively naïve outsider’s perspective on the chaos. Also, Vaughan’s approach to the concept of death is much more realistic than is common in mainstream films, animated or live action. There is no cheap, theatrical melodrama or long, pseudo-Shakespearian deathbed monologues here, leaving us with no easy comforts and little else but the quick, unforgiving finality. Miyazaki’s lush, affecting, and obviously well-researched artwork, with its rich, fiery-toned coloring, creates an environment that truly captures the majestic atmosphere of the desert, as well as the quite-shocking violence that occurs in both the animal world and our own. His depictions of the animals are fantastic, making them into completely believable characters. Miyazaki demonstrates a vast range of emotion and expression and endows each animal with their own distinct visual presence. The beautiful spread of the lions’ emergence from the zoo to finally get a view of the wide open landscape is as awe-inspiring as their exploration of what looks like one of Saddam’s abandoned palaces is spooky.

One of the major themes that seems to appear throughout the film is the idea of freedom, and the meaning and cost of it. Other analogies involving rape, the gray morality of violence, and the many dilemmas present in our current political climate can be made as well. The one theme that really sticks out, though, is that of life and family. The loving interactions between the lions are so rich with character that you forget about the usual notions regarding the Iraq conflict that have been hammered into our collective, media saturated consciousness. This allows the film to almost become a fun, family adventure story, albeit one where Mom talks with about sending a horse’s intestines spilling onto the sand (they’re still lions, after all). That sort of innocence is fleeting, however, and we’re brought crashing back when humans come into the dialogue at story’s end, which leaves quite a bitter taste on the moviegoer's proverbial palette in regards to the unquestionably horrible nature of war, violence, and the cultural misunderstanding that is at the heart of such conflicts. As food for thought goes, the moviegoer is left with quite a meal. Miyazaki and Vaughan have created a unique window into the nature of life during wartime, shedding light on this struggle as only an animated film can.

For Your Consideration

Best Picture
Best Animated Feature
Best Director, Hayao Miyazaki
Best Adapted Screenplay, Brian K. Vaughan