In her award-winning documentary The Nice American Household, filmmaker and creator Weam Namou tackles the explosive true story of Daybreak Hanna—a Michigan mom sentenced to 6 years in federal jail for allegedly brokering telecom gear to Iraq throughout U.S. sanctions. What the jury didn’t know? Her co-conspirator was a CIA operative, and the operation had authorities backing.
We sat down with Namou to discover what drew her to the case, how her Chaldean heritage formed her storytelling, and what The Nice American Household reveals about justice, secrecy, and the human value of politics.
What first drew you to Daybreak Hanna’s story, and when do you know you needed to make a movie about it?
Secrets and techniques of silent power
It really started with Daybreak’s mom, Linda. As a fellow mom and daughter from a family-centered tradition, I used to be deeply moved by the ache this case was inflicting. Initially, I hesitated—politically, it felt dangerous. However after prayer and a dialog with my husband, I knew this was the best factor to do. The guide and the movie grew to become acts of justice and humanity.
This story discovered me, actually. As somebody with Chaldean roots—descendants of the Neo-Babylonians who nonetheless communicate Aramaic—I’ve seen firsthand how our neighborhood survives by standing collectively. I used to be born in Baghdad, a minority Christian, and I felt uniquely accountable for telling Daybreak’s story with integrity.
How did you stability nationwide safety issues with the private affect on Daybreak and her household?
Uncover hidden truths
That was one of the vital tough elements. Daybreak was used as a scapegoat—her case mirrored a bigger sample the place politics and revenue take priority over fact. Nationwide safety grew to become a protect used to silence deeper injustices. My purpose was to current each side: the systemic failures and the very actual, very private toll on households like Daybreak’s.
What was your preliminary response if you realized of the CIA’s involvement?
Whole disbelief. Her brother, Darrin, talked about it throughout espresso at a diner. I believed it was too far-fetched—till I interviewed Emad, the CIA operative, and combed by means of the court docket recordsdata. The federal government didn’t even deny his standing—they only claimed it wouldn’t have modified the jury’s determination. That realization was gutting. My household fled dictatorship for the promise of justice in America. Seeing this occur right here was deeply sobering.
Was verifying labeled or redacted materials a problem throughout manufacturing?
Surprisingly, no. Daybreak’s household had constructed a meticulous archive—court docket transcripts, affidavits, paperwork. They did the legwork. My job was to arrange and interpret the mountain of proof that the jury by no means noticed.
How did you method dramatizing the federal government’s chilling response?
I didn’t need to. The quote from the Authorities Temporary stood by itself. Our cinematographer merely captured it. Generally, fact is extra dramatic than fiction.
Is Daybreak’s case distinctive—or a part of a wider sample?
Completely not distinctive. Whereas Daybreak was incarcerated, she instructed me about tons of of different girls behind bars—most for nonviolent offenses, many moms. The system is damaged. Her case is a symptom of that.
How did Daybreak reply to the movie?
After shedding her attraction, Daybreak pulled again. The expertise drained her and her household. My connection deepened together with her mom, Linda. When Daybreak was launched, she selected a quieter life. I respect that. Therapeutic takes time.
Your Baghdad roots—how did they form your method to this story?
Profoundly. I grew up monitoring the Gulf Warfare, the sanctions, the 2003 invasion. I went again to Iraq in 2000 and noticed the struggling firsthand. Engaged on this movie gave me a method to serve—to shine mild the place there’s been an excessive amount of darkness.
Had been there moments in manufacturing that remodeled your view of American justice?
Sure. The concept that injustices are protected to “save face” shook me. Additionally, when UK journalists backed out of interviewing the CIA operative out of concern, I knew I needed to do it myself. It jogged my memory simply how intimidating these energy constructions might be—even for professionals.
Did any whistleblowers or insiders assist form the movie?
Sure, a number of—off the report. One unforgettable second was a name from Vincent Bugliosi. He praised the mission and expressed heartbreak over Iraq’s struggling. That encouragement meant the world to me.
What do you hope this mission modifications—if not in coverage, then in public consciousness?
I need folks to demand accountability. The Structure exists for a cause. Nobody ought to be above the legislation—particularly those that use energy to destroy lives. If we keep silent, nothing modifications.
What would you say to individuals who imagine, “Should you’re harmless, you don’t have anything to fret about”?
That perception is naive. The justice system just isn’t infallible. Harmless folks get caught in its gears on a regular basis—particularly in instances involving secrecy. If we hold ignoring that, we’re complicit.
How did you visually or thematically discover the thought of belief?
We used handheld footage to convey intimacy to the household’s expertise. We adopted them by means of each day life—even on a flight to go to Daybreak. Archival clips, activist interviews, and information footage grounded the bigger context. And we captured Daybreak’s brother’s marriage ceremony—simply earlier than she went to jail. These layers present how fragile belief might be when establishments fail.
As a novelist, journalist, and filmmaker—how do you resolve what medium tells the story finest?
I began with books, they usually’re nonetheless my basis. However movie reaches extra folks. Managing my household’s video retailer for 12 years taught me the ability of cinema. I all the time dreamed of my books changing into movies—I simply didn’t count on to make them myself. But when I didn’t, who would?
And if the federal government is listening—what message does this movie carry for them?
You wasted time, cash, and lives. This case wasn’t about justice—it was about politics. Let or not it’s a lesson: justice should come earlier than appearances, or all of us lose.
Concerning the Filmmaker
Weam Namou is an Eric Hoffer award-winning creator of 20 books and a trailblazing filmmaker whose debut characteristic, The Nice American Household, has earned over a dozen worldwide awards and streams on Amazon Prime. Her second characteristic, Pomegranate, broke floor as the primary Iraqi American characteristic led by girls and gained over 40 worldwide honors. A former govt director of the Chaldean Cultural Heart, Namou additionally based Distinctive Voices in Movies and The Path of Consciousness. Born in Baghdad and raised within the U.S., her storytelling bridges cultures, empowers communities, and brings fact to energy.
