{"rewrite":{"id":"r_326384cdb1c8632b30e935e8","clusterId":"c_41a1813ada0d210e3f256cca","slug":"short-film-baghdad-messi-gets-theatrical-feature-expansion","model":"deepseek-v4-flash","headline":"Short Film 'Baghdad Messi' Gets Theatrical Feature Expansion","summary":"SAMANSA, the short film streaming service, announced that its popular short 'Baghdad Messi' is being expanded into a feature film 'Baghdad Messi: The One-Legged Soccer Boy,' set for release on August 7, 2026. A preview screening on July 29 will screen both the short and feature versions, followed by a director talk show. The short version will also be made available on YouTube for a limited time.","whyItMatters":"The move represents a rare transition from a short-form digital platform to a theatrical feature, potentially validating SAMANSA's model for nurturing IP.","webCardHtml":"\u003cp\u003eDirected by Sahin Omar Khalifa, the short film originally gained a following on the SAMANSA platform. It tells the story of an 11-year-old boy in war-torn Baghdad who loses a leg in a bombing but still pursues his love of soccer. The feature version expands the narrative, and the July 29 preview event-held at Hiyobi Convention Hall in Tokyo-offers a chance to see both versions back-to-back, plus a talk with the director. SAMANSA has also announced a limited-time free release of the short on its YouTube channel. With 500+ short films in its library, the platform is betting that a theatrical release can grow its audience and creator partnerships.\u003c/p\u003e","blueskyPost":"SAMANSA's short film 'Baghdad Messi' is being expanded into a feature film 'Baghdad Messi: The One-Legged Soccer Boy,' releasing August 7, 2026. A preview screening on July 29 will show both versions and a director talk. The short will also be on YouTube.","twitterPost":"SAMANSA's short film 'Baghdad Messi' expands into a feature film 'Baghdad Messi: The One-Legged Soccer Boy,' out August 7, 2026. Preview July 29 in Tokyo includes both versions and a director talk. Short also free on YouTube.","threadsPost":null,"newsletterBlurb":"SAMANSA is turning its popular short film 'Baghdad Messi' into a theatrical feature, releasing August 7. A preview event on July 29 will screen both the short and feature versions, plus a director talk show. The short will also be available on YouTube for a limited time.","attributionJson":"[{\"source\":\"ASCII.jp\",\"url\":\"https://ascii.jp/elem/000/004/419/4419976/?rss\",\"title\":\"【SAMANSA】伝説のショート映画が待望の長編化！この夏公開の映画『バグダッド・メッシ 片足のサッカー少年』劇場公開記念・一般試写会へご招待！\"}]","lintFlagsJson":null,"lintHits":0,"costUsd":0,"inputTokens":5209,"outputTokens":1367,"status":"published","repairAttempts":0,"nextRepairAt":null,"factsAttemptedAt":1784111756,"createdAt":"2026-07-15T10:25:10.000Z","publishedAt":"2026-07-15T10:27:28.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-07-15T10:25:10.000Z"},"cluster":{"id":"c_41a1813ada0d210e3f256cca","canonicalTitle":"【SAMANSA】伝説のショート映画が待望の長編化！この夏公開の映画『バグダッド・メッシ 片足のサッカー少年』劇場公開記念・一般試写会へご招待！","representativeArticleId":"a_bbfc6448c3e8f305fc816393","sourceCount":1,"writtenSourceCount":1,"writeAttempts":0,"isSolo":true,"entitiesJson":"{\"anime_titles\":[],\"manga_titles\":[],\"work_titles\":[\"Baghdad Messi: One-Legged Soccer Boy\"],\"studios\":[],\"people\":[],\"type\":\"announcement\",\"domain\":\"other\",\"is_roundup\":false}","contentType":"news","status":"published","firstSeenAt":"2026-07-15T09:00:00.000Z","lastSeenAt":"2026-07-15T09:00:00.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-07-15T10:27:29.000Z"},"attribution":[{"source":"ASCII.jp","url":"https://ascii.jp/elem/000/004/419/4419976/?rss","title":"【SAMANSA】伝説のショート映画が待望の長編化！この夏公開の映画『バグダッド・メッシ 片足のサッカー少年』劇場公開記念・一般試写会へご招待！"}],"entities":{"anime_titles":[],"manga_titles":[],"work_titles":["Baghdad Messi: One-Legged Soccer Boy"],"studios":[],"people":[],"type":"announcement","domain":"other","is_roundup":false},"keyFacts":null}