AllMovie

One of only a handful of Iraqi films, El Qanas zeroes in on a sniper in Beirut, a man with a mission to kill but without a reason or even the remotest excuse for his random slayings. The sniper (Roge Assaf) is a member of a Christian right-wing, paramilitary group that takes their rifles and combat gear and goes on maneuvers regularly. He is constantly cleaning his rifle and driving his girlfriend crazy. One day when he visits her he brings his weapon out onto her balcony, aims at a man buying something in a kiosk, and shoots him. His girlfriend loses it and he leaves for good, while flashbacks detail the history of the man who was killed and the little girl that was with him, both innocent victims. This is a sad though slightly told tale, a part of the continuing effort to establish an Iraqi film industry.