Downside up & Baghdad Messi

Downside up:

What is it like for someone with Down syndrome to live in our society? How would it feel like to live in a world where the whole population consists of people with Down syndrome for someone who doesn’t have it? This story is about acceptance and the struggles of a boy who is trying to fit in.

Baghdad Messi:

This poignant short tells the story of little Hamoudi, a one-legged boy who loves football like his friends - and a big fan of Lionel Messi. On the eve of the Champions League final between Barcelona and Manchester, their television set fails, and Hamoudi moves with his father from their quiet village to the city to recover, a venture that is not without risks.

Sahim Omar Kalifa takes us into the world of little Hamoudi with great feeling, showing without judgment the impact war has on the lives of all involved. Like his previous short 'Land of the Heroes', 'Baghdad Messi' has also won numerous international awards, and has been selected for more than 200 international film festivals.