Tamara Amer is fighting “a fierce battle against negative social control, a culture of silence, and the oppression of women in Iraq, where she grew up.” You have to watch the new documentary Burning Voice, though, to get a more detailed picture that the press notes for the film hint at. After all, since founding the online platform Iraqi Women Rights in 2011, Amer has used her voice and her dual position as an insider and outsider in Baghdad to help educate Iraqi women about their rights. Now, her work and her struggles are coming to the big screen.
Burning Voice, directed by Anna Bruun Nørager in her feature debut, world premieres on Friday, March 13 in the Human:Rights Competition of the23rd editionofCPH:DOX, theCopenhagen International Documentary Film Festival.
“She has inspired Iraqi women to dare to break the silence and report violations,” a synopsis notes about Amer. “But it is far from safe for women in Iraq to speak out about such issues. Tamara herself has lived with harassment and serious threats for over a decade. Not only from people trying to sabotage her work for women’s liberation, but also from her violent ex-husband, from whom she fled with their son. He now refuses to grant her a divorce or leave her alone. But rather than breaking down, Tamara channels all the resistance she encounters into her activism and her enormous care for her family and sisters around the world who are also fighting for life and freedom.”
Bruun Nørager and Amer, in email interviews with THR, shared insights into the experience of making Burning Voice, the plight of women’s rights in Iraq, as well as in other parts of the world, and the inspiration they hope the doc can provide to audiences.
Anna, how did you find out about Tamara and her work? And what inspired you to make this film?
Bruun Nørager I got to know Tamara through the research I did for a short documentary [#FollowMe] in 2019 about this online network of Iraqi women using social media to challenge norms and traditions in their country. I continued working with this subject, and Tamara and I found each other in a common aim for women’s rights.
First, I started documenting her work as an activist and volunteer. I filmed many different cases, but at some point, the project naturally developed to be Tamara’s story. I find the relentless energy she has fighting for justice extremely fascinating and inspiring, and I guess that’s what inspired me to make this film in the end.
‘Burning Voice’ film still
Courtesy of Anna Bruun Nørager
Tamara, how was it having a film made about you and sharing your battle and vulnerability for the world to see?
Amer Opening up my private life to the world was never easy, but I viewed this film as an essential extension of my mission. My goal was to document the unique, often invisible reality of being a women’s rights defender from a distance. Over 15 years of voluntary work, I have proven that distance is no limit to impact. Through our digital platform in Denmark, I’ve led campaigns tackling deep-seated social issues like harassment, GBV (gender-based violence), school violence, and the growing threat of digital blackmail.
My happiness is found in seeing a woman overcome these hardships. If this film offers even one person a roadmap to safety, then every vulnerable moment captured was worth it.
How did you approach this story as a director? I feel it balances the specific with a focus on on Tamara and Iraq, yet it also has universal echoes relating to women worldwide.
Bruun Nørager The Iraqi law system protecting men when killing their wives, sisters or daughters is a structural problem. Especially in the fact that femicide is increasing worldwide. It’s not a question of country or culture. It’s a question of being a woman – which is something half of the world’s population can relate to in different aspects, depending on the scale of rights and protection they’re born into. But to narrow this subject into a film, you need a pinpoint to show the personal story in the bigger context.
‘Burning Voice’ film still
Courtesy of Anna Bruun Nørager
I love the film’s title. How did you find it?
Bruun Nørager It’s been quite a journey to find a title, and for a long time, we had so many different ideas and versions written on the wall in the editing room. One of the things I’ve heard Tamara say repeatedly is that she won’t shut up. “I won’t shut up.” And as a person, she has this strong and fearless energy that feels like a fire to me. So, in the end, the word “burning” came together with the word “voice” – and suddenly it just felt right.
Tamara, what’s the status of your NGO in Iraq right now?
Amer Currently, my NGO, Support Her Organisation, is inactive. After facing constant threats and attempts to compromise the safety of our volunteers in Iraq, we made the heartbreaking decision to halt operations last year. My dream was to build safe shelters where none exist, but the environment has become too dangerous. The recent assassination of Yanar Mohammed, founder of the Organization of Women’s Freedom in Iraq, just last week, confirms that it is no longer rational or safe to maintain a physical presence there. We cannot protect others if we cannot protect the defenders themselves
What are your hopes for the impact the film can have for women’s rights in Iraq and beyond, given the global backlash against women’s rights?
Bruun Nørager Since Tamara and I started filming in Iraq, the danger of being a feminist and activist has increased. Recently, Yanar Mohammed … was killed on the street of her own house, a woman whom Tamara also knew and collaborated with. And this is just an example of how extreme conservative forces are trying to push down the fight for women’s rights. I truly hope this film – regardless of those who are trying to shut down our voices – will reach its Iraqi audience, inspire young women and push for a legal system that actually protects women.
‘Burning Voice’ film still
Courtesy of Anna Bruun Nørager
Amer One of the film’s purposes is to shine a light on the extreme risks women’s rights defenders face today. My hope is that by sharing my story and the reality of working from Denmark, we can spark a global conversation about the urgent need for protection and real shelters in Iraq.
I hope this film moves people from passive sympathy to active support for those of us fighting on the front lines, whether remotely or on the ground.
Anna, will we see more films from you in the future? Do you have any new projects in the works?
Bruun Nørager This film is for sure just the beginning. I know I have a lot more films in me to do. But right now, my focus is on Tamara and getting our film out into the world. And then I’m sure later on I’ll know what my next project is going to be.