Flana is a personal documentary that follows director Zahraa as she confronts the haunting events of her past. Growing up in the house of her aunt Hayat, a Baghdad midwife, Zahraa witnessed the harsh realities of violence against women. The disappearance of her childhood friend Nour sparked her quest for truth, driving her to navigate Iraq’s complex web of war and tribal laws.
Through her journey, Zahraa uncovers the dark secrets behind families abandoning their daughters and the heartbreaking separations of mothers and daughters - a fate she herself endured. Her
search for Nour leads her to another girl, Layla, with a similar story, giving Zahraa hope that Nour might still be alive.
CREW:
Director: Zahraa Ghandour
Producer: Zahraa Ghandour (Karada Films), Marc Berdugo, Barbara Conforti (Lila Production)
Cinematographer: Jocelyne Abi Gebrayel
Editor: Ahmed Abd, Nadia S
Sound: Vincent Pateau
Production
Karada Films (Iraq), Lila Production (France)
Sales:
Awards
Cairo International Film Festival 2025: Best Arab Film Award — Special Mention
Duhok International Film Festival 2025: Best World Documentary
Award — Special Mention
Director
Zahraa Ghandour
Zahraa Ghandour was born in 1991. She lives in Baghdad. She started her career as a writer, TV presenter, and TV documentaries Director. After a few years she successfully started acting, winning several international awards. In 2022 Zahraa founded IQ: Docs, an initiative that screens documentary films, and makes workshops with experts for youth in Iraq. Flana, her debut feature, had its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.Selected Filmography
Flana (2025) 
