| Green Card Wedding |
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 Target AudienceSince 9/11 films with Middle Eastern stories have been on the rise, but they all portray the typical Arab themes of war and terrorism. Such films appeal primarily to adults, age eighteen and older, who are interested in action movies or politics. Green Card Wedding on the other hand has a universal appeal. It is a funny, heart-warming film about some of the daily issues Iraqis face. Audiences of all ages and backgrounds will be mesmerized and entertained by the fresh comedy, the exotic culture and the unique lovable characters. And they will walk out with a shift of consciousness, a change in perception about that region and culture. Film Story Everyone wants the American dream. Frank (Farook), a 25 year old Iraqi immigrant, is no different. One night Frank decides to take a break from studying for his citizenship exam by going to an Arabic party to find love. Things do not turn out the way he imagined, however. Rather than find love, he runs into the hefty price he had paid to get into America – his wife, Lubna! The agreement was that he pays her money to marry him, he gets a green card, and then it is goodbye forever. But she wants more. For Frank, having a “real” relationship with this Lubna is out of the question. She’s heavy, obnoxious, divorced with three children, and twenty years his senior. Throughout the party, hilarious encounters occur that lead Frank to replay the events that happened back home – where he married Lubna. These encounters also help him in the end make decisions about his future in the land of dreams and opportunity – America. Uniqueness of Film Jack Shaheen, in his book Reel Bad Arabs, surveyed more than 900 film appearances of Arab characters. Of those, only a dozen were positive and 50 were balanced. Shaheen writes that “Arab stereotypes are deeply ingrained in American cinema.” The work of groups like the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee has created a new awareness that these problems need to be addressed by Hollywood. With an estimated seven million Middle Easterners living in the US, making them the fastest growing group of immigrants, and with so many social, political and religious issues regarding that region – Iraq in particular – happening on a daily basis, it is becoming absolutely essential for Hollywood to provide film audiences everywhere true stories of the lifestyle and culture of the modern Middle Easterner. In this way, cultures will develop a better understanding of each other, and thus, the world will be pushed into another, a more diverse reality. Green Card Wedding is one of few, if any, American films about Middle Eastern people who are dealing with a problem that has little to do with war, terrorism or religion, though these three factors are inevitably present in their lives. The story’s charm, humor and honesty will touch the hearts of many. Capital Requirements Capital requirement for the film is $1.1 million. Capital will be raised through investment or contribution. For non-profit organizations and individuals that do not seek a profit or a return on investment, a Contribution Agreement will be drawn up and their names will be listed (unless they wish their names not to be made public) in the film as sponsors of the work. Investors will buy units in the form of an Investor Agreement. Business Opportunity The film has a tremendous earnings potential as the script is great, the L.A. actors are SAG (Screen Actors Guild) and highly professional, and the subject matter is still unexplored in the film industry. A lot of nationwide and international interest exists for this type of film, and that interest is growing at a fast pace. Profit Participation: Investors will be in (a) “first position” to recoup their investment. If the film is made for $1.1 million and profits $2 million, the investors will first recoup their $1.1 million investment. Plus, (b) what’s left over is split (pari passu) 50-50 Q&A for investor(s): Q: When do I get my money back? A: As soon as profits start. Q: Will I get all my money back right away? A: You will get it through time, until the end of time, because the film will never get off the shelf, off the internet, etc. As the film progresses and according to your investment, you will get your money back from various venues which include theaters, DVDs, cable, TV, and from overseas sales like the Middle East and Europe. Q: Who protects my money? A: Namou Productions, Inc. has a completion bond. In the event production of the film is abandoned, the completion guarantor will fully repay all sums invested in the film by the investors, bank or financiers. Distribution 
The first channel of distribution will be through major retail theater outlets targeting the debut of this movie cosmopolitan centers across the nation with primary focus on cities like New York, Washington DC, Miami, Houston, Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles. The second channel of distribution will be through major retail Video/CD rental outlets and chains targeted for the summer of 2009. The third channel of distribution will be through major cable TV movie channels, like HBO or Cinemax, to be shown in the autumn of 2009. Other channels of distribution following the above three will be: major TV networks, Canada, Australia, Europe and the Middle East. Producer Sam Sako was born in a little village called Telaskif in northern Iraq. He attended high school in Baghdad and after graduation, his family moved to Greece. There, he learned a new culture and language, and soon thereafter moved to America and lived in Detroit, Michigan. He received an A.A. degree in Liberal Arts from Wayne County Community College, then moved to California. In 1987 he received his B.A. degree in Motion Picture and Television from the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA). When Sam finished his studies, he started his professional career in the field of MPTV. He worked as a freelancer for independent films and major motion picture companies locally and internationally. He has produced several features and short films for the US and Middle Eastern markets. He has also worked on major feature films such as Hidalgo by Walt Disney, Homeland Security by Paramount, Saving Private Jessica Lynch by NBC and 12 episodes for the show Over There by FX under Steven Bachco production. Sam is currently working on a feature film, The Shape, directed by Alex Turner. |
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| THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE NATIVE IRAQIS |
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| LETTER OF INTENT |
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| Letter of Intent: http://kaldaya.net/2007/12_DailyNews_Dec2007/Dec3_07_E1.html |
| A Call From The Author & Extra Details About the Book: http://chaldean.org/Home/tabid/36/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/ 206/The-Untold-Story-of-Native-Iraqis-To-Be-Told.aspx |
| ABOUT THE BOOK |
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The Nation That Does Not Learn About Its History,
Will Be Inflicted With Degradation and Be Worn Out! Amer Fatuhi Gaining a Better Understanding of IRAQ CHALDEANS SINCE THE EARLY BEGINNING OF TIME: 5300 BC - Present |
| The Untold Story of the Native Iraqis |
This has come to a point where we have collectively become synthesized to the very mention of Operation: Iraqi Freedom. America has all the words about the war, but is unable to make a single sentence explaining it. There is an untold story. There is a side yet to be explored. Let us start from the beginning. Let us begin with Iraq History, so that we can better understand its future. Chaldeans..Since the Early Beginning of Time / 5300 BC - Present
This book, which I have achieved in two years of hard work and more than 25 years of studying and researching is not about the Chaldeans only, in fact, it is a well documented chronology about all Iraqi's diversities including our closest brothers and sisters the Jewish of Babylon. Moreover, this study is introducing the general history of Iraq (100,000 BC - Present) in a unique manner. It is simply “The Untold Story of Iraq and the Native Iraqis”. This account not only exposes unexplored areas, but it also seeks to scientifically challenge erroneous concepts about the Chaldeans that were exaggerated and spread among Iraqi laymen since the mid-seventies of the last century. The reader will achieve his goal in getting acquainted with the Iraqi history in an extensive chronology.
This study also serves as a sincere attempt to preserve the Iraqi nationality as the first priority for all Iraqis and establish logical future solutions that will help rebuild a democratic and civilized new Iraq. The world has yet to know the true Iraq, but it first needs to see its true potential.
AMER HANNA FATUHI - Visual Artist & Historian
Introduction Prelude Methodology of Research Preface... What is the Ethnicity?
Native Mesopoatamians The Origin of the old Names, Between the Ethnicity and Territory Another Horizon .. Semitics, Islanders, Arabs or Chaldeans? The Most Popular Chaldean Kings Sharru-Kin/Sargon the Great (2334-2279 BC)
The big Difference between Assyrians Subarians, Assyrians Amorites and Chaldeans of The Mountains “Athurians” Fallacies Corrections Fabricated Claims and Fallacies: Claiming that, Chaldeans Are Members of a Rite Only? Claiming that, There Are No Connection Between The Ancient And Modern Chaldeans While The Recent Athurians Are Assyrians Of The Past! Claiming that, Chaldeans Were Not a Nation But Only Sorcerers And Fortune-tellers Claiming that, Chaldeans Ruled Mesopotamia For a Period Of Time No More Than Three Fourth Of a Century Claiming that, The Inhabitants Of The Christians Villages Of Northern Iraq (Dashta & Tura) Are Assyrians Not Chaldeans Claiming that, Chaldeans Extinct After Moslems Conquered Mesopotamia Claiming that, The Accomplishments Of The Assyrian Army Were Ethnic Achievements Claiming that, Shummur amat/Semeramis “Shammerm” Was Ethnically Assyrian Claiming that, Old Testament Is Valid As History Book and Scientific Evidence Claiming that, Archaeologists Created The Term Assyriology To Represent The Mesopotamian History Claiming that, Using The Term Assyrian Language Proves That, Recent Athurians Are Ethnic Group Claiming that, Northern Iraq Has Been Called Assyria Since Pre- Dynasties Period Claiming that, Assyria Is The Origin of The Term Syriac Claiming that, It Is Impossible to Know Whether Babylonia Or Assyria is The Mainspring of Surth Speakers The Chaldean Blood Shed on The Cross To Redeem The Human beings The Dynastic History of Assur/Shubaru Region & Refuting The Assyrian Illusion Conclusion .. The Contradiction of the Dual Name Kaldu-Ashur
The Surth Writing .. Aramaic System or Chaldean Alap Beth? The Directions In The Local Iraqi Mentality/The Terms Of East And West In Iraqi Everyday Language The Iraqi Desert as a Path for All The Immigration Waves To Babylonia Are Ma'arwaia and A'arwaia Symbolize Arab and Arabian? (NEW) Assyrian Year or Chaldean Babylonian Year? From One Forgery to Another
Jinns, Devils, Demons, Ghouls and Afreets
He accomplished Eight studies (Movements and Technique of Arts, Volume I & II, Baghdad 1986) (Ur of Kaldees... a View of a Native Iraqi, Baghdad 1988), (Mesopotamian Divinities & Demons, Baghdad 1990), (The Arab-Islamic Arts, Between Reality and Illusion, Baghdad 1990), (Chaldeans .. An Everlasting Son/short study, Detroit 1997), (Assyrians... State Inhabitants or Ethnic Group?/short study, Detroit 2001), (Chaldeans ... Since the Early Beginning of Time/5300BC-Present) as well as one historical novel (An-Ma-gour, Baghdad 1989), and two linguistic books (Chaldean English Arabic Picture Dictionary/with Fr. Jaccob Yasso, Detroit 2002) and (Chaldean Reading Book of Late Youssif Mary/with Fr. Jaccob Yasso, Detroit 2003). Consultant for number of Museums, Educational and Cultural Centers. For more information about Amer Fatuhi, kindly visit www.amerfatuhiart.com
Furthermore, according to the US 2000 census, there are over 250,000 Chaldeans in the State of Michigan only, and approximately 450,000 Chaldeans in the whole United States. Therefore, by adding the 50,000 in Canada, 65,000 in Australia and more than 75,000 in Europe, the total number will exceed 640,000 Chaldeans who are very interesting in reading about their ancestors as well as about the history of their homeland IRAQ "Beth Nahrain - Mesopotamia", that is why I am so enthusiastic to work on releasing the "English version" in the next year.
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Iraqi National Flag Project 1985-2004 |
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| INTRODUCTION |
The Iraqi National Flag has had four different designs since the establishment of IRAQ in 1921. While the current situation is not entirely clear, the controversial version in use at the present time is a minor variation of the design adopted under the Saddam regime in 1991. On October 30th, 1918, Iraq ceased using the Ottoman flag. Instead the British flag was officially used during Oct. 30th, 1918 until January 10th, 1919, when the British flag was replaced with the Hejaz Revolution Flag which was designed in 1916 by Sir Mark Sykes of the British Foreign Office for the Arab forces (Black, green, white horizontally with a red triangle in the hoist. In 1921 for thereabouts the white and green were swapped, making it like the modern Palestinian flag, which is directly derived from it.). |
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| The previous four Iraqi flags were: |
Iraqi Flag 1924-1958 Iraq's first flag was inspired by the flag of the Kingdom of Hejaz and was in use at the time of independence in 1932. The flag was actually used before independence, from 1924 to 1959. Iraqi Flag 1959-1963 Following Abdul Karim Qassim's revolution of July 1958, that deposed the monarchy, on July 14th, 1959, Iraq adopted (Law 102 of 1959). The new Iraqi flag consisted of (vertical black, white and green. In the white band an eight-pointed star with a white circle in the center, and in the circle a yellow circle / Sun). The black and green represented (pan-Arabism), the yellow sun representing the Kurdish minority, while the red star represented the Chaldean minority. This was in use from 1959 to 1963. Iraqi Flag 1963-1991 Best known flag of Iraq, from the start of the Ba'ath Party rule until the First Gulf War in 1991. This flag was changed by Saddam Hussein's order to add to the design an Arabic writing (Allahu Akbar = God is Greatest!). A new flag was proposed in (April 2004) but was never adopted. That flag was somehow directly derived from my design of the Iraqi Flag, version 1985B. At the ceremony on June 28th, 2004 when the new interim government of Iraq was sworn into office, the stage was backed with a row of flags similar to the 1991 pattern, but wider, with the stars and the Arabic script more loosely spread across the width of the flag. The Arabic text (reading "Allahu Akbar") was also more stylized, in the Arabic Kufic script, unlike the previous text which had been loose handwriting, supposedly that of Saddam Hussein himself. The 1991 flag was raised at the Iraqi embassy in Washington, D.C. on June 30th , 2004. |
| Reasons that entail replacement of the current flag: |
2- Neither its symbols nor the restriction of its colors (Pan-Arab colors) represents future Iraqis' aspirations, likewise it does not really bring out their unity and brotherhood-simply because it discriminates between people of the same country.
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A Newly Proposed Iraqi National Flag |
| Two Suggestions Created & Designed By Amer Fatuhi |
The following is some information about the Iraqi National Flag Project that I (Amer Hanna Fatuhi) started in Iraq around 1985. I hope that such a project would be appreciated one day by the Iraqi people! I also believe that every Iraqi Visual Artist has the right to participate in representing Iraq throughout his creative art work. Among all those Iraqis are the Chaldeans, especially, when we put in our consideration that, Chaldeans are the native Iraqis! SUGGESTION #1:
The red and black rectangles take up half of the flag space, whereas the white rectangle, amidst them, occupies the other half. The colors used in the flag (red, black, white, and blue) were also used by our Iraqi ancestors on their gigantic monuments called zaggorates which are rated by today's scientists as the culmination of architecture in the ancient world. The most renowned zaggorate is (Babel Tower) one of the seven wonders of the world. As for the green fountain vessel, stands for Mesopotamia; symbol of fertility, culture and civilization. The right and left clusters of the vessel represent the eternal Tigris and Euphrates rivers respectively with their streams.Both clusters symbolize revitalization, abundant wealth and prosperity Iraq has been known for over it's distant history. With regard to the three rectangles, the black stands for Iraqis' tolerance of woes, their long suffering and endurance, the white stands for fineness of their inner self and good faith, the red stands for Iraqis' vitality, unlimited and innovative potentials. Hence, the shapes and colors as a whole represent our cherished Iraq (country, land, people, history, and welfare) and the ultimate fact that Iraq is the cradle of civilization and embodiment of humanity progress. These symbols stress the value of brotherhood, compassion, equality and belongingness to the Iraqi national identity.After all, Iraqi pioneers are unquestionably the founders of civilization and our homeland (IRAQ) is its sanctuary. SUGGESTION #2:
The red and black rectangles take up half of the flag space, whereas the white rectangle, amidst them, occupies the other half. The colors used in the flag (red, black, white, and blue) were also used by our Iraqi ancestors on their gigantic monuments called zaggorates which are rated by today's scientists as the culmination of architecture in the ancient world. The most renowned zaggorate is (Babel Tower) one of the seven wonders of the world. As for the green fountain vessel, stands for Mesopotamia; symbol of fertility, culture and civilization. The right and left clusters of the vessel represent the eternal Tigris and Euphrates rivers respectively with their streams. Both clusters symbolize revitalization, abundant wealth and prosperity Iraq has been known for over it's distant history. With regard to the three rectangles, the black stands for Iraqis' tolerance of woes, their long suffering and endurance, the white stands for fineness of their inner self and good faith, the red stands for Iraqis' vitality, unlimited and innovative potentials. Hence, the shapes and colors as a whole represent our cherished Iraq (country, land, people, history, and welfare) and the ultimate fact that Iraq is the cradle of civilization and embodiment of humanity progress. These symbols stress the value of brotherhood, compassion, equality and belongingness to the Iraqi national identity. After all, Iraqi pioneers are unquestionably the founders of civilization and our homeland (IRAQ) is its sanctuary. |
My previous versions of the IRAQI national flag |
| The 1985 Flags, versions A / B & 2000 Flag |
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Regarding the 1985 Flag, version A, that was nominated for first place at the mid-eighties competition: The central part is representing ancient Mesopotamia (the cradle of civilization) through (the horizontal green band and the two horizontal white strips (Tigris & Euphrates), along with the Babylonian star in Red & White). The other two horizontal bands in Black (Abbasid period) and Red are representing the continuation of the bright achievements as well as the brave and the energetic Iraqis. In respect to the 1985 Flag, version B The two horizontal Blue lines represent the eternal Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The Red and Yellow Sun represents the Mesopotamian civilization which is the Cradle of the civilizations. The Three fundamental colors, Red, Blue and Yellow characterize the originality of our culture and heritage. In respect to the 2000 version, it is only a modification for the 1958 National Iraqi Flag. By readjusting the flag's visual elements, as well as replacing the central abstract star with the Mesopotamian eightfold star to represent our homeland as the cradle of civilizations, moreover to make the flag more meaningful, genuine and more nationally expressive. |
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PS. All these suggested designs were published since 2000 on many Iraqi web sites and papers, among them www.chaldeanflag.com, www.iraqipapers.com, www.ankawa.com, www.akkad.com, along with Detroit Middle East paper, The Sun magazine in the USA, and Akkad paper in Canada. PS. Due to my opposing stands against the former regime in regards to many ideological and cultural matters, my Iraqi citizenship was withdrawn in 1996 and I was sentenced to death in absentia three times. Those convictions were published on the International Pardon Organization Publications in London and Iraqi opposition newspapers. by Amer Fatuhi |
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Future Projects |
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| Under construction! |
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In this present day in America, the impressionable population faces a bombardment of superficial images and propaganda from most media outlets responsible for covering the war in Iraq. From the latest insider insurgent account to the most recent picture of a dead soldier, images of Iraq flash onto our television screens and embed themselves in our hearts and minds.
1- The currently used flag was adopted by a decree from the deposed Ba'ath Party Presidency. The three stars stand for the party goals: Unity-Freedom and socialism.
3- It underestimates the Iraqis and their values; it also highlights the rejected racial practices.
