Ahmed Yassin Al-Daradji
MADNESS AND HONEY DAYS
After accidentally cursing President Saddam Hussein on stage, theatre actor Salem convinces a military court of his insanity to escape a death sentence. Exiled to a psychiatric hospital in Baghdad during the final months before Saddam's fall, Salem must navigate his sanity, knowing that the execution awaits if the doctor declares him mentally fit.
SYNOPSIS
After accidentally insulting President Saddam Hussein on stage during a performance of Hamlet, stage actor Salem faces a looming death sentence. To escape execution, he continues playing the role of Hamlet, feigning insanity, and is sent to a psychiatric hospital, where his condition awaits evaluation. Trapped in a facility filled with the lost souls of Saddam’s regime, Salem must navigate the precarious balance between his will to survive and the fear of genuinely losing his mind. Salem catches the attention of the hospital director, who becomes increasingly wary of his growing influence over the patients. He finds an unexpected ally in Adyan, a young, ambitious, and deeply committed psychiatrist tasked with assessing his condition. Adyan, however, faces a moral dilemma: remain loyal to her duty, deliver an honest verdict, and secure her promotion, or risk everything to save Salem. They defy institutional norms and stage a play with the patients. What begins as a simple exercise of Salem’s diagnosis and patients’ therapy becomes an unexpected triumph, drawing so much attention that it reaches Saddam himself, who grants Salem a presidential certificate of appreciation, officially declaring him mad.
DIRECTOR
Ahmed Yassin Al-Daradji
PRODUCER
Mayhtam Jbara
PRODUCTION COMPANY
Purattu Films
COUNTRIES
Iraq, Canada, United Kingdom
Ahmed Yassin Al-Daradji
DIRECTOR’S BIOGRAPHY
Ahmed Yassin Al-Daradji is an award-winning Iraqiwriter-director based in the United Kingdom. In 2015, his short film Children of God won the Muhr Award for Best Arab Short, the Fabrisci Award, the Seoul Guro Award for Best Live Action Short, and the Jury Award at the Disabled Film Festival in Cannes. Al-Daradji’s debut feature film, Hanging Gardens, had its premiere at the Venice Film Festival in 2022. It earned the Golden Yusr for Best Feature Film and the Yusr Award for Best Cinematic Achievement at the Red Sea Film Festival, among other prestigious awards. The crowning achievement for Al-Daradji to date was the selection of Hanging Gardens to represent Iraq at the Academy Awards.
DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT
How does one portray madness when the world has embraced insanity as the norm? Between ongoing genocide, blatant discrimination, and the rise of fascism around the globe, facades of insanity are seen daily on the news and formalised by the media. This indicates that the world has begun to lose its balance. Growing up in Baghdad under Saddam Hussein’s dictatorship profoundly influenced my understanding of resilience, creativity, and survival under extreme conditions. I was surrounded by surreal, daily scenes that baffled me, realising how far humanity can go. Encounters with both insanity and rebellion have shaped my worldview; they are at the heart of Madness and Honey Days. This film is deeply personal, reflecting my journey as a rebellious youth navigating a totalitarian society, much like Salem does. His journey, marked by encounters with madness, imprisonment, and the pursuit of forbidden love, mirrors my own. These experiences taught me to abandon the concept of victimhood. Instead, I chose to rebel against the limitations of an oppressive society. But, as is often the case, rebellion earns one the label of either madman or criminal. As a child, I often passed by the city’s psychiatric hospital, where I witnessed both the resilience of those struggling with mental illness and the humanity of those who chose insanity as a means of escaping impending death. This inspired Salem’s story, through which I aim to explore the delicate, thin line between sanity and madness and how one can cope and survive in a world that has completely lost its way – through a visually rich narrative that balances absurd comedy, stark realism, and surreal theatricality. The psychiatric hospital becomes a metaphor for society at large – a place where control, freedom, and artistic expression collide. Madness and Honey Days celebrates resilience, hope, and art in the face of a bleak, totalitarian world. It delves into deeply human qualities whose sincerity transcends artistic and political divides. It examines how creative expression becomes an act of rebellion, allowing us to comprehend ourselves and reshape our reality. Despite its blue scene, the story’s soul lies in the tender, growing fantasy between Salem and Adyan. Their connection blossoms amid the chaos of Salem’s inner rage and the constraints of the asylum’s walls. Through their journey, I examine integrity and the healing power of love, art, and comedy. Madness and Honey Days poses a provocative question: Who is truly mad? The dictator? The artist? Or those who observe and do nothing?
Mayhtam Jbara
PROODUCER’S BIOGRAPHY
Maytham Jbara is an Iraqi writer and producer based in Torontp. He was selected for the Accelerator Fellowship and the European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs (EAVE) On Demand Access Programme for Producers presented by the National Screen Institute and Canada Media Fund. Jbara is the founder of Purattu Film, a production company based in Baghdad and Toronto. Purattu’s work includes the Ahmed Yassin Al-Daradji’s award-winning feature film Hanging Gardens , which had its premiere at the Venice Film Festival in 2022, numerous short films, and several feature films in development. Most of Jbara’s projects have been granted funding and awards from various international and Canadian institutions and funds, among them the Ontario and Toronto Art Councils, Telefilm Canada, the Red Sea Film Festival, Beirut DC with ART.
PRODUCER’S STATEMENT
As a film producer, I am often asked why I make films and tell stories. For me, the answer is simple: as creators, we are burdened by questions we cannot answer ourselves. Through film, we can pose these questions to audiences – inviting them to engage, reflect, and find meaning. Madness and Honey Days explores the fragile boundary between sanity and madness – an idea that resonates deeply with me and with the complexities of our time. In a world increasingly defined by deliberate encroachment on human values and freedoms, and by conflict, displacement, and systemic violence, the film’s urgency extends far beyond its geographical and temporal setting. For me, this project represents a convergence of creative responsibility and lived experience shaped by growing up in Iraq, with an intimate understanding of the social and institutional environments the film examines. It is a story that demands care, precision, and ethical grounding – values that have guided my approach to producing international co-productions rooted in complex histories. The project is structured as a co-production between Iraq, Canada, the United Kindom, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, with principal photography planned in Iraq. To date, over 70% of the production financing has been secured through confirmed commitments from major international funds, including the Red Sea Fund and Film AlUla (Saudi Arabia), the Doha Film Institute (Qatar), and the Iraqi Cinema Fund, among others. Additional applications are in progress with Telefilm Canada which the result will be on mid June 2026. During development, Madness and Honey Days has received significant recognition at major international industry platforms. The project was awarded the top prize at the Asian Project Market in Busan and received additional honours at Amman Industry Days and the Beirut DC Platform. It also won the Red Sea Souk Award. Development support has been secured from Ontario Creates, Telefilm, the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture, and other partners, reflecting strong institutional confidence in the project. The film has also gained strong visibility in major editorial and industry outlets as the highly anticipated second feature of Ahmed Yassin Al-Daradji. On the distribution side, the project has been optioned by MBC Shahid for the MENA region (broadcast/platform licence). Paradise City Sales (France) has expressed strong interest in coming on board as global sales agent, alongside MAD Solutions, which is handling the MENA territories. Pre-production is scheduled to begin in early September 2026, with principal photography planned for November 2026 in Iraq. Casting is currently underway, with a focus on discovering and elevating Iraqi talent based in Iraq and elsewhere. Final casting and key creative team engagement are expected to be completed by August 2026.
Production company profile
Founded by Iraqi Canadian film producer Maytham Jbara, Purattu Film emerged at the intersection of – Toronto and Baghdad. The company creates and produces bold, thought-provoking independent cinema that confronts social realities and illuminates the essence of humanity. With a focus on international co-productions across Canada, Europe, and the Middle East, Purattu collaborates with visionary filmmakers and production partners worldwide. Rooted in cultural authenticity and emotional truth, its films bridge local experience and global perspective, connecting regions, voices, and cinematic traditions.
Where are we at?
TOTAL ESTIMATED BUDGET
1.272,000 €
FINANCES PENDING
429,705 €
FINANCING IN PLACE
842,361 €
Production timeline
August 20th 2026 Pre-production
November 1st 2026
Production – Shooting on location
March 1st 2027
-Post-production – sound editing and mix -Post-production – Deliveries