“We Will Tell Our Own Stories”: How Pomegranate Redefines Iraqi-American Cinema

When writer-director Weam Namou began crafting POMEGRANATE, she wasn’t just making a film—she was planting a flag. The first Iraqi-American narrative feature led by Iraqi creatives, the movie dives headfirst into the tensions between Muslim and Christian Iraqis living side by side in suburban Michigan during the explosive 2016 U.S. election. But its real subject is far more intimate: identity, womanhood, and the cost—and power—of reclaiming your voice.

“This film is more than a movie; it’s a statement,” Namou declares. “A step toward redefining how our stories are seen and told in the broader cultural landscape.”

📍 Setting: Little Baghdad, 2016

The story centers on Niran, a 20-year-old Iraqi Muslim refugee, and her complicated relationship with Mary, her MAGA-sign-wielding Christian Iraqi neighbor. But beneath the humor and cultural tension lies a bold political act.

“The 2016 elections created deep divisions across the U.S., but nowhere was it more palpable than Michigan,” Namou explains. “This isn’t fiction for me. What I witnessed felt painfully familiar—like Iraq, where democracy didn’t exist.”

Choosing storytelling over online rants, Namou channeled frustration into creativity. POMEGRANATE became her response to both modern polarization and ancient silencing.

✍️ The Spirit of Enheduanna Lives On

The film’s protagonist, Niran, draws inspiration from Enheduanna, the world’s first recorded author and priestess of Ancient Mesopotamia.

“Enheduanna claimed authorship thousands of years ago in a society that revered both male and female deities. That legacy was buried—but not erased,” Namou says.

“Niran dreams of being a modern Enheduanna. That’s the heart of this film: reclaiming identity, one word at a time.”

🎬 From Resistance to Resilience

Namou’s refusal to conform to Hollywood stereotypes wasn’t without cost. But it’s also what made POMEGRANATE groundbreaking.

“As an author, I was told I had to write about honor killings to sell books. As a filmmaker, I was told my stories were too niche,” she recalls. “But I refused to sell out.”

Instead, she made history—POMEGRANATE has won over 40 international awards and is now streaming in 25 countries.

💥 Faith, Fashion, and Fearlessness

One of the film’s sharpest subversions is its portrayal of Niran: hijabi, stylish, bold, and politically engaged.

“I grew up around Muslim women like Niran,” Namou says. “The Western media only tells one story—the abused woman running from her family. That’s not just false. It’s lazy.”

She recounts visiting a Heathrow bookstore in the ’90s and seeing every book on Middle Eastern women penned by Westerners: veils, abuse, silence. That moment lit a fire.

undefined

Unveil unseen narratives

“I vowed then to tell authentic stories of my community. Stories about women who are dynamic, complex, and powerful.”

🎥 Behind the Scenes: Real People, Real Stakes

From casting to crewing, authenticity was paramount. Real Muslim Iraqis play the Muslim family. Real Chaldeans play the Christian one.

“Samya Rahmani, who plays Niran, actually reached out to me directly with her reel,” Namou recalls. “She had the courage and depth I needed.”

Zain Shami, a hijabi comedian, was cast as Hassina—a role inspired by famed Iraqi actress Amal Taha. Even Mary was cast from within Namou’s own community—her cousin Natally auditioned after casually styling Namou’s daughter’s hair.

Mystery sparks change

“It was a grassroots miracle,” she says.

🧠 Mentorship from “Home Alone”

Executive Producer Scott Rosenfelt (yes, of Home Alone and Mystic Pizza) was key in lifting the project off the ground.

“He told me stories of the chaos on those sets and reassured me that I’d survive mine,” Namou laughs. “His calm in the storm gave me the confidence to keep going.”

🏛️ A Historic First… and a Cultural Lightning Rod

POMEGRANATE hasn’t just been applauded—it’s sparked controversy. Some interfaith groups and Arabic organizations declined to screen it, afraid of its frankness around topics like the hijab and assimilation.

“This film removes the mask. It speaks the unspeakable, which is why it has ruffled feathers,” she says. “But like Francis Ford Coppola said of The Godfather—if people are upset, the story is probably worth telling.”

💬 A Film That Starts Conversations

Namou says the most moving responses have come from unlikely places: a student at the U.S. Naval Academy, a half-Italian, half-Palestinian girl in Michigan, and a frustrated Iraqi student in the Netherlands who couldn’t access the film.

“POMEGRANATE resonates because it tells a human story first. One that transcends geography, religion, and politics.”

🧕🏽 Women’s History Month and the Fight for Agency

Released during Women’s History Month, the film takes on even deeper significance.

“POMEGRANATE is about any woman—Middle Eastern or not—who’s struggled to find her voice against cultural or personal limitations,” Namou shares. “It’s a love letter to independence.”

🧭 What’s Next? Keep Going.

When asked what Enheduanna might say about this film, Namou doesn’t hesitate:

“I imagine her smiling and saying, ‘Thank you. The work isn’t finished—keep going.’”

And what does Namou hope audiences walk away with?

Exploresharedjourneys

“Laughter. Questions. And real conversations—about faith, the hijab, the immigrant experience, and how we can embrace American life without erasing who we are.”

🎞️ Watch the Film

POMEGRANATE is now available on digital HD platforms worldwide via Freestyle Digital Media. 📺 Watch the trailer 🎬 Official site 📸 Still photos and poster

“Filmmakers from marginalized communities carry a responsibility: tell the truth. And keep telling it until it’s impossible to ignore.” – Weam Namou

POMEGRANATE isn’t just a film. It’s a movement. And it’s only just begun.