Heavy Metal in Baghdad is a feature film documentary that follows the Iraqi heavy metal band Acrassicauda from the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003 to the present day. Playing heavy metal in a Muslim country has always been a difficult (if not impossible) proposition but after Saddam’s regime was toppled, there was a brief moment for the band in which real freedom seemed possible. That hope was quickly dashed as their country fell into a bloody insurgency. Their story echoes the unspoken hopes of an entire generation of young Iraqis.
"Acrassicauda deny being political. But their music is genuine rebel rock. A cry of hope as well as a roar of protest. Though they struggle to build a fan base, and end up seeking refuge in Syria, their dreams persist, still blazing fiercely at the close of this chastening and inspiring film.”
Sukhdev Sandhu, The Daily Telegraph
This directorial debut from by Eddy Moretti (Vice Films) and Suroosh Alvi (Vice Records) with executive producer Spike Jonze, has received widespread critical acclaim since it premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2007.