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The Lions by the River Tigris: Restoring Mosul’s artefacts
Two carved marble lions above a gate are among the few remains of Bashar’s family home in Mosul, destroyed during the battle to retake the city from ISIL nearly a decade ago. The film follows collector Fakhri’s efforts to acquire the gate for his unofficial museum, raising questions about who should preserve the city’s heritage and what is lost when artefacts are separated from people.
Fakhri’s friend Fadil, a musician who was silenced under ISIL, urges him to recognise the human stories behind the objects. Set against Mosul’s rebuilding, the documentary portrays a cultural revival in a city with 8,000 years of history, and the resilience of residents protecting what remains of its past.
In short
- Bashar guards a marble gate topped with carved lions.
- A collector hopes to add it to his unofficial museum.
- The film explores heritage, loss and Mosul’s revival.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Preserving the carved gate in Fakhri’s museum could protect a rare survivor of Mosul’s destruction and make its history accessible to people who might otherwise never encounter it. In a city rebuilding after conflict, such collections can help sustain cultural revival and safeguard artefacts at risk of further loss.
The case against
Removing the gate from its original setting could sever it from the family and community whose lives give it meaning, turning shared heritage into a collector’s possession. Preservation should centre the voices and needs of Mosul’s residents, who may have stronger claims to decide where their history belongs and how it is remembered.