Islamic State: Iraqi actors parody militants in sitcom State Of Superstition
With little more than a few dozen fake beards, a cheap set and a music video featuring Satan, Stalin and The Joker, a small group of Baghdadis is doing what the West failed at – standing up to Islamic State militants.
Instead of bullets and precision laser-guided bombs, they use comedy.
"By tackling Islamic State with humour, you can reduce fear of them among people, particularly children," said Ali Al-Qasem, director of the new Iraqi sitcom State Of Superstition.
"Islamic State's appearance, the way they look, is terrifying. By presenting them in a comedic way, I think we can help people to overcome that terror."
State Of Superstition made international waves when it aired its first show a fortnight ago due to its unrestrained mockery of one of the world's most violent and ruthless terrorist groups.
Funded by the Iraqi government and aired on the state broadcaster, the show is set in a fictional town taken over Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and his crew of misfits, foreigners, drunks and Saddam Hussein-era military officers.
The show is broadcast nationally and will reach into the areas of northern and western Iraq where Islamic State holds sway.
Actors say taking part is 'worth the risk'
The show is not without risks, and many of the actors asked to have their names removed from the credits. Others are less concerned.
"I wanted to be involved in order to help confront them, so there will be no terrorism anymore, no Islamic State anymore," said comedian Oday Abdul Satar, who plays Baghdadi's murderous scimitar-wielding dwarf sidekick.
Al-Qasem said the show was his way of fighting back against the brutal but effective propaganda message emanating from Islamic State militants.
"We are defending our country with words. We don't know how to carry guns, shoot and kill someone. That's not our job," Al-Qasem said.
"Our talent is the word, our talent is the idea. Our role is to confront our enemies in a different way. The patriotic artists who love Iraq, they feel defending our nation is worth the risk."
One of those patriotic artists is the show's make-up artist, who glues on and grooms up to 35 beards a day during shooting.
The show also features a colourful music clip starring Satan – portrayed as Baghdadi's father – singing lines such as: "We transgressed against God and killed all the women; O Great Beheader, where are you?"
