Iraq Paper Scissors follows a unique transformation from uniform to pulp, from battlefield to workshop, and from warrior to artist. Filmmaker Sara Nesson follows several Iraq Veterans on an unusual and creative journey as they confront their emotional wounds, and redefine themselves as artists and writers.
Iraq, paper scissors, from armed hands to creative hands
Human hands have a very distinctive language as our main tool for material transformation. Iraq paper scissors remind us of this archaic yet pure kind of construction, and use it as a cinematic narrative.
The film portrays the experience of the Combat Paper Project, a workshop where veterans of the Iraq war use their own combat tools to create works of art.
In an educational approach, the film directed by director Sara Nesson can be read as a sequel to her previous film "Girl Poster", a further step to investigate how artistic creation can serve as catharsis to cure the psychological traces of a demolishing war.