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Section: International Competitionod Feature Films for Youth
The Idol (2015)
To many, Gaza is synonymous with conflict, destruction and despair, but to Mohammed Assaf, and his sister Nour, Gaza is their home and their playground. It’s where they, along with their best friends Ahmad and Omar, play music and dare to dream big. Their band might play on second hand, beaten up instruments but their ambitions are sky-high. With the world then shattering and the borders to Egypt closed, they have to somehow make it to Cairo to audition for Arab Idol. From there, destiny awaits. Here Mohammed has a chance to change his life and give a voiceless people the greatest feeling of all: the freedom to love, live and feel free.
Country | Palestine, U.K., Qatar, Netherlands, United Arab Emirates |
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Year | 2015 |
Duration | 100 min |
Rating | 15 |
Language | Arabic |
Subtitle | English, Czech |
Directed by | Hany Abu-Assad |
Screenplay | Hany Abu-Assad, Sameh Zoabi |
Director of Photography | Ehab Assal |
Music | Habib Shehadeh Hanna |
Edited by | Eyas Salman |
Contact | Seville International |
Biography
Hany Abu-Assad (1961) is a Palestinian screenwriter, director and producer from Israel. He studied engineering in the Netherlands then worked there for several years as an airport engineer. He began his film career as a TV producer. He made his debut with the feature comedy 14 Years (Het 14e kippetje, 1998), and has also made documentaries, e.g. Ford Transit (2002). He won respect and appreciation in particular for his films images Rana's Wedding (Al qods fee yom akhar, 2002), Paradise Now (2004) and Omar (2013).