The Journey by Iraqi director Mohamed Al Daradji won the Best Screenplay award at the1st Casablanca Arab Film Festival in Morocco, which closed its activities on Saturday, December 15. Iraq's official submission to the 2019 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film marked its ninth international award after taking part in many film festivals.

A few days ago, The Journey was theatrically released in the UAE at Roxy Cinemas marking its second screening in the UAE after its Arab world premiere at the 14th Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF), within the Muhr Feature competition.

Most recently, The Journey received the Best Actress award to its lead Zahraa Ghandour at the 4th Asian World Film Festival in Los Angeles. The film also won the Best Director award and Best Actress award to Zahraa Ghandour at the Malmö Arab Film Festival in Sweden, a Special Mention at the Oran Arabic International Film Festival in Algeria, the Jury Award and Best Actress Award at the Muscat International Film Festival, the Special Jury Award at its Egyptian premiere at the Sharm El-Sheikh Film Festival, in addition to the Grand Prize of the Arab World Institute to director Mohamed Al Daradji and Best Actress Award to Zahraa Ghandour at the Festival des Cinémas Arabes à Paris in France.

The Journey screened at more than 10 international festivals all over the world, the last of which was at the Karama Human Rights Film Festival in Jordan. The film also took part in the 23rd Rabat International Festival for Author's Cinema, the Palestine Cinema Days and the Arab Film Festival Zurich, and competed in the official competitions of the BFI London Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival and the Busan International Film Festival. The film made its US premiere at the Miami Film Festival. The Journey also screened at the Cairo Cinema Days in Egypt.

The film's events are set in Baghdad in 2006. As Sara stands on the cusp of committing an unthinkable act, an unforeseen and awkward encounter gives her the opportunity to witness the potential consequences of her destructive action. But is this a second chance or an admission of guilt?

Directed by Mohamed Al Daradji, who co-wrote the film with Isabelle Stead, The Journey stars Zahraa Ghandour and Ameer Jbara. The film is produced by Human Film, Iraqi Independent Film Center (IIFC), in cooperation with Lionceau Films, Iraq Al-Rafidain and Iraqi Media Network. The Journey received grants from the Doha Film Institute, AFAC - The Arab Fund for Arts and Culture, World Cinema Fund (WCF), the Centre National du Cinéma et de l'image Animée (CNC) of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development, Institut Français, Netherlands Film Fund, SANAD Development Fund (Abu Dhabi Film Festival) and Screen Yorkshire. The film is distributed in the Arab world by MAD Solutions.