zackerywest Where to begin? This was one of those unintentionally hilarious documentaries, like 'Kurt 'n Courtney', or 'American Movie', that no writer is creative enough to concoct. As Kubrick said, "Reality is more inventive than human beings." This truth is continually demonstrated here.The premise is a perfect set-up for continued conflict to see a formerly-rich, conservative Islamic kid flown to the Czech Republic to help liberal Hollywood Jews (not that there's anything wrong with that) to assist with a real Hollywood film.I have a special distaste for Hollywood politics, and evidently, this guy was very comfortable biting the hand that fed him. Apart from the significant cultural divide between he and his benefactors, he was a fan of the Iraq war, for one. Um, he doesn't believe in kissing ass. He's not some poor, unsophisticated brown guy who's happy to take orders and perpetually 'play the game' to get into Hollywood.And there's something truly awesome about that.I write my own independent films, and good writing isn't easy. Getting exposure to inspired storytelling is great, but sometimes only a documentary can capture the richest poetry in life, because it's real. This documentary is a great example of that.The subject - whose name I didn't bother to look up - does have a certain charisma, a certain dignity and honesty. And yet, he squanders opportunities (whether you believe in sucking up to effete, phony Hollywood people or not), has no sense to prepare for the future, and even goes so far as to ask the star of a film he's PA'ing on (The Rock) for money for film school. He seems highly adept at humiliating himself.I don't know how much of his due to his young age, or cultural differences, or subconscious fears of failure, or because he just doesn't see the shame in that, but, miraculously, he continues to reap windfalls by virtue of having escaped the Iraq War.The film does resolve itself, which is great. It meanders a bit, but in the end, the guy has this amazing sort of confessional, which indicates he knows more than we might suspect. He's a dreamer. He doesn't believe in sucking up. He will 'make it' because he's 'true'.What's amazing about this film is: everybody at age 22 believed these things. And often they get thumped pretty good by life for such naivete. In this film, we see an honest dreamer amid phonies, suck-ups, people fearful of being real, incapable of confrontation (a producer at one point walks off, and then returns to confront him about some pretty plain wrongdoings), and really messing them up.They can't seem to understand why he isn't more grateful to them.In this way, it's a whole lot like the Iraq War. What's that they say about 'the road to hell being paved with the good intentions'?

l_whitmore I felt this film was a study of ulterior motives; and after watching it, it left me focusing on the behaviour of the members of the film crew rather than Muthana's deeds. Muthana's journey out of Iraq is presented as an altruistic experiment; but, much like the invasion, the ramifications are ill-thought and the gesture is meek.It seems that much of US politics focuses on character, so I can see why a person might judge this film on the personality of it's main-player; but I think that it would be an error to summarise 'Operation Filmmaker' based on a reflection of Muthana.In my opinion, it's unfortunate that the previous poster has overlooked the fact that Muthana was engaged in a project that seemed more focused on professional vanity, than genuine support.Part way through the film, some members of the crew express their displeasure that he wasn't more humble and willing to chip-in, but I'm left thinking that this may have been because he didn't meet the specific narrative objectives that they had imagined he'd fulfil. The decision to document the project from the very beginning, in some way seemed testament to this.I came away thinking about how the war in Iraq has affected Iraq's society in complex ways. We're often informed of what the 'Iraqi citizen' thinks – but we're rarely exposed to the idea that there is no general consensus. The society of Iraq is often trivialised and compacted into a monoculture – it's strange and bizarre that we're able to accept this.The film is interesting on many levels and it feels like the result wasn't expected by those involved in the project – which makes the journey all the more engaging. Mostly it reminded me of the importance of conviction – and the folly involved in trying to absolve guilt using superficial means.

eroka This is a small-ish film but I think it's wonderful and quite a leap from many docs. Not only is the director/producer/editor/photographer is the same person and is behind the camera, the events that unfold make her also an actress - in her own film, which is the self-conscious representation of the diary of Muthana. The movie works in a few levels, and the viewer is so left to make up his/her own mind with regards to the person in the centre of it all. Beyond anything, it's a candid personal portrait of someone who is fighting for his life (but also for the Easy Life) - and does so in the most unlikeable way. We sympathise yet we don't feel empathy towards Muthana. And that says it all - he is a unique and unrelentlessly himself, even if it's not the right person to fit the mold we expect. I'm curious where he is now... Anything can happen with this guy...!

Pascal Zinken (LazySod) A young film student gets himself on MTV expressing his feelings about his dreams of becoming a film maker being shattered by first the dictator ruling over his country of birth, Iraq, and then by US that bombed it. This show gets seen by an American film maker that wants to give him a chance of a life time and invites him to come to Prague to help and learn during a film he is making there.This documentary starts there, as the student arrives and starts helping along in the making of the film and gets introduced to all the various angles to making one. As it continues it shows the changes in the student and his surroundings and the way he deals with that.Being a typical documentary this film doesn't have any special effects whatsoever - except for the occasional ones seen when they arrive at the scene of a film that uses them. It uses a very direct and personal approach and the maker of the documentary herself gets fairly involved with the person she is filming and that makes it very close but also very nice to watch. It's a bit like reading some ones personal diary but with them standing right next to you and commenting on what you are reading.It is easy to judge the film student but for me that isn't the point of a film review. As a documentary I can rate this fairly highly as it uses an interesting approach that keeps one bound to the chair during its full length.8 out of 10 film makers interrogated