The Good, the Bad and the Gringo – Book Launch
30 October 2024, 07:00-08:30 p.m.
Stanfords London 7 Mercer Walk, Covent Garden, WC2H 9FA
Location:
Stanfords London7 Mercer Walk, Covent Garden, WC2H 9FA
Finding Solace from Saddam’s terror in the world of Cinema.
Join us with writer and filmmaker Kae Bahar and his fascinating novel The Good, The Bad and The Gringo, a captivating tale of a young Kurdish man growing up in Iraq, confused about his gender and Saddam’s cruel terror.
Growing up as a Kurd in Saddam’s Iraq, Merywan feels he doesn’t belong to this twisted society, but finds inspiration and comfort in the magic world of cinema.
He secretly writes letters to his hero, Clint Eastwood, whom he calls Gringo, begging him to help him escape to America. As his plans are disrupted, Merywan is drawn deeper into a roller – coaster ride of savagery, passion, betrayal and heroism, which makes the movies he adores almost seem trivial by comparison.
‘Kae Bahar’s protagonist, Merywan, is one of the most remarkable in contemporary fiction.’ – James Attlee
‘It makes me laugh out loud and gasp in horror, too’ – Barbara Marsh
About the author:
Kae Bahar is a writer and filmmaker. He grew up in Kurdistan under the regime of Saddam Hussein and was arrested and tortured by the secret police at the age of fourteen. With family’s help, he managed to escape to Italy to avoid a second arrest and possible death.
What kept Kae’s hope alive was story telling and watching films.
Most of his films have won multiple awards.
The event will start promptly at 7.00pm.
Tickets £7
Includes glass of wine/soft drink and a discount off the book when purchased on the evening.
To keep up to date with events at Stanfords, please sign up to our newsletter.
Author talks are held in our basement which is fully accessible via a nearby lift. Please ask a member of staff who will accompany you.
Please ensure we have an up-to-date contact email address or telephone number when booking your ticket so that we can contact you with any updates.
About Kae Bahar
Kae Bahar is a writer and filmmaker. He grew up in Kurdistan under the regime of Saddam Hussein and was arrested and tortured by the secret police at the age of fourteen. With his family’s help, he managed to escape to Italy to avoid a second arrest and possible death.
Once in Europe, he worked as an actor and produced films for major broadcasters. What kept Kae’s hope alive was storytelling and watching films. Most of his films have won multiple awards. The Good, the Bad, and the Gringo is his first novel.
Kae has written, produced, and directed 22 films, including short fiction and feature-length documentaries. His films have been screened in over 200 international film festivals.
Publications & Prizes
Kae has won over 80 awards for his films, half of these for Best Film and Audience Choice.
Some of these included:
–September 2024, awarded Best Drama, Best Director and Best Actor for Where Was I? at Jane Austen International Film Festival.
