You're viewing the HTML version of the Shine website. If you haven't got Adobe Flash player A Tale of Two Alis
Two Iraqi boys were amongst the thousands terribly injured by Allied bombs. They were two of the the very few evacuated to safety in Kuwait, and were treated by the same team of plastic surgeons. They were both named Ali. One, Ali Ismael, 13, who lost his arms and his parents, became one of the icons of the conflict, his terrible plight broadcast all over the world. He received millions of dollars in donations, thousands of letters of support and offers of medical assistance. The other, Ali Hussein, 7, was less photogenic: a cluster bomb had exploded in his face. This programme follows both boys through the months following the war; whilst Ali Ismael becomes a celebrity, with countries competing to provide him with new arms, and eventually settles in Britain, the film also follows Ali Hussein home to his farm in Iraq as he and his family try to come to terms with his injuries.
Broadcaster: Living TV
Format: 1 x 60"