
In impoverished Baghdad under Saddam's dictatorship, 16-year-old Amal hopes to regain her social status at school by volunteering to find a book as a class gift for the departing literature teacher. Meanwhile, her emotionally fragile little brother becomes obsessed with the notion that a visiting uncle from America--whom he confuses with Santa Claus--will bring him toys. Ashamed never to have been able to give his son a toy, the child's father sells some more prized family possessions and buys a model car for him.

as Amal

as Amal's Mother

as Amal's Father

as Hala (as May El Calamawy)

as Mr. Kareem

as Student 1

as Student 2

as Rafeeka

as Deena

as Bilal

as Sami

as Bilal's Teacher

as Uncle Omar

as Fareeda

as Fareeda's Son

as Fareeda's Daughter

as Book Merchant