The Iraqi film director Hayder Daffer and Andrew Steggall met first at the National Theatre of Baghdad in June 2005. It turned out that Hayder worked at the Palestine Hotel where Steggall was staying on his casting trip to Baghdad and the two of them met later that evening at the hotel.

Hayder Daffer’s last documentary “The Dreams of Sparrows” is a harrowing yet informative account of life in Baghdad post the fall of Saddam. Enlisting the skills of fellow film-makers Daffer has created a balanced and surprising insight into the life of artists and ordinary citizens in Baghdad.

As well as becoming assistant director on The Soldier’s Tale and playing a critical part in coordinating further casting trips to Sulaymaniyah Daffer filmed the rehearsals in Iraq and London in order to make a documentary about the production. Its current working title is “The Story of the Tale.” For further information about Hayder Daffer please go to www.harbingerpro.com