Frédéric Vercheval: composition,
Vardan Hovanissian: duduk,
Tristan Driessens: oud,
Hungarian Studio Orchestra.
Baghdad Messi‘s music is a journey into the heart of Hamoudi’s feelings, this passionate young boy whose innocence and dreams are shattered by the violence of men. Our goal with director Sahim Omar Kalifa was to capture this contrast between the harshness of war and the resilience of childhood. The musical narrative, through its contrasts marked by the gentleness of the strings, the poetry of the duduk and oud, and the rhythmic percussion, takes us on a journey into the heart of Hamoudi’s emotions. The score, with its broad, Eastern influences, represents landscapes, the desert, the heat, but also the innocence of childhood, loss, mourning, and love. It was a truly international experience, recorded in Budapest with the magnificent Hungarian Studio Orchestra and in Brussels for the solo instruments.
A soundtrack built on traditional sounds—a melancholic duduk and a haunting oud—imbues the film with a sense of time that is both ancient and fleeting. The audio complements the visuals by evoking a depth of feeling that resonates in spaces between words. The interplay of sound and image casts a reflective light on the internal battles faced by the characters. Full article
GazettelyI had the immense privilege of collaborating with exceptional musicians. Vardan Hovanissian’s duduk soars above the whole, creating a link between the landscapes and the characters. Tristan Driessens’ oud, sometimes rhythmic, sometimes melodic, punctuates the narrative. These instruments converse with the depth of the strings, which convey innocence, love, but also grief. At times, percussion and darker textures recall the reality of an endless conflict. It is music about loss, but above all, about the unwavering hope that persists at the heart of the tragedy.
Frédéric Vercheval
