The Rory Peck Awards
2003
Sponsored by Sony
Mass
Graves in Iraq
Finalist: The Sony International Impact Award
|
“A very
creative cameraman, quiet, sensitive, you felt him working... very
emotional camera… difficult to shoot - he captured the mood
of the day in every respect... a brilliant cameraman.” Judge's Comment |
This footage shows the discovery of the mass graves in Iraq and the efforts of relatives to identify the victims.
In his pictures, Ibrahim El Batout has not only captured the terror of the Saddam regime, but also the grief and hope of the relatives of missing family members as they search for any remains of their loved ones.
Cameraman’s Comment
“When we shot this documentary it was relatively safe. For me it was a déja-vù of other mass graves I filmed before in Guatemala, Bosnia and Kosovo. So it enhanced my idea about war where blood always looked red and bones always had the same colours, structures and smell, where suffering made no distinction of its victims age, colour, religion or ethnic background.”
Biography
El Batout originally worked as a cameraman for a company based in Cairo, servicing European, American and Japanese TV stations. From here he moved to Europe and worked freelance for various TV companies.
After returning to Cairo he continued to freelance as cameraman, editor, and director for different TV stations, including ABC, Discovery, NHK, TF1, ZDF, ITN, WDR and Al Jazeera. He has worked in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, China and Guatemala, covering major world events such as the Iran/Iraq war, Somalia, the Gulf War and numerous reports from the Middle East.
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