An Iraqi TV show called Mythical State mercilessly satirizes ISIS with skits and songs. The show’s director explains what it’s like to perform satire under the most extreme kind of pressure.
When ISIS took Mosul, I produced some songs that parodied them. Then we decided to make the show, and we worked very fast. Each morning we shot a show, then edited it, and then screened it on the same day. We don’t have enough support, so the the quality isn’t as high as we would like, but we hope we can send a message to the Iraqi community about ISIS and what ISIS is.
If ISIS, or people like them, can launch an attack in France, that means it’s easy for them to make an attack against us here — especially us, since we attack them directly with what we say. And of course because of this I’m scared for me and my team. We understand an attack might happen. The Iraqi government doesn’t care. It isn’t protecting us. We don’t have anything to keep us safe, we leave it all to Allah. Allah protects us.
We don’t have a red line that we can’t cross in what we say. We say anything about religion and any religious symbol. We can also talk against the Iraqi government. But I tried to make another show against the Iraqi government, and the channel wouldn’t allow it.
We don’t set out to attack religions. We attack ISIS in the show because they hurt Iraqi people. They made thousands of Iraqis into refugees and killed even more. All Iraqis, no matter whether they are Sunni or Shia, feel like they are a part of my family. They hurt all of us.
I’m very sad about what happened with Charlie Hebdo. This is not Islam. I’m heartbroken for any journalist, or comedian, or any honest person killed by ISIS. In the future I hope that all journalists, comedians and honest people can live in safety — and I hope to make a lot more Iraqi comedy shows.
—As told to Emma Beals
Watch the video from Iraqi TV:
