POZ reporter Fariba Nawa traveled to Iraq for our October 2003 feature story “After Ibn Zuhur” (search for it on poz.com), which exposed the country’s little-known AIDS epidemic. Director James Longley tagged along, never imagining that he’d be so inspired by one of the HIV-positive Iraqis Nawa profiled, a boy named Sari, that he’d build a film around him. The resulting short documentary, Sari’s Mother, nominated for a 2007 Academy Award, captures his mom’s tenacity as she fights to get medical care for her dying son during the chaotic U.S. occupation of Iraq.

“This family is struggling with biting poverty, a life-threatening disease [and] a dismantled health system all while living in one of the most violent and dangerous countries in world,” says Longley. “I hope that Americans will view this film and Iraq from a human perspective.” Buy Sari’s Mother at daylightfactory.com.