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Revision as of 23:27, 30 October 2008 by 98.220.168.229 (talk) (→Plot)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff) 2008 Jordanian film| Captain Abu Raed | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Amin Matalqa |
| Written by | Amin Matalqa |
| Starring | Nadim Sawalha Rana Sultan |
| Music by | Austin Wintory |
| Release date | 6 February 2008 |
| Running time | 102 min |
| Country | Jordan |
| Language | Arabic |
Captain Abu Raed (Arabic: كابتن أبو رائد) is a 2007 Jordanian Film directed and written by Amin Matalqa. It was the first feature film produced in Jordan in more than 50 years. The Royal Film Commission of Jordan endorsed Captain Abu Raed to be submitted to the 81st Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film, the first ever submitted by Jordan. The film won awards at numerous film festivals including the Sundance Film Festival, Heartland Film Festival, and the Dubai International Film Festival.
Plot
Abu Raed is an airport janitor at the Queen Alia International Airport in Amman who has lost his wife and son. After finding a Royal Jordanian captain's hat in the trash, the neighborhood children mistake him for an airline pilot and beg him to tell them stories of his adventures. At first refusing, he later concedes and tells them about his fictional travels to England, France, and New York, earning the name "Captain Abu Raed"
An older child, Murad, knows who Abu Raed really is and sets out to prove this to the other children wrong. With some dinars he found, Murad takes the other children on a taxi ride to the airport to show them the truth about Abu Raed. The children are heartbroken at seeing their idol on his hands and knees, scrubbing the floor.
It is later shown that Murad had stolen the money from his father Abu Murad, who, drunk after a hard day selling women's clothing on the street, often abused Murad's mother. Abu Murad was exceptionally mad about the loss of money and took it out on his wife.
Abu Raed, after being exposed as a phony, forgave Murad and gave him the pilot hat as a token of forgiveness. Later， Murad steals a model airplane and gets his hand burned for it. Abu Raed is there to comfort him, creating a bond between the two. This event convinces Abu Raed to find a way to bring Murad, his younger brother, and his mother to safety.
Meanwhile, at the airport and on the bus home, Abu Raed got to know Nour, a female pilot whose wealthy father poorly attempted to find her a husband. He tells her about his past, including a deceased wife and son.
Abu Raed also had to deal with Tareq, one of the children whom he told stories to, whose father had him selling wafers on the street rather than going to school. Abu Raed knew he was a smart boy so he bought all of his wafers so Tareq could attend school. Abu Tareq would then just give Tareq more wafers to sell since he was such a good salesman.
Cast
- Nadim Sawalha - Abu Raed
- Rana Sultan - Nour
- Hussein Al-Sous - Murad
- Udey Al-Qiddissi - Tareq
- Ghandi Saber - Abu Murad
- Dina Ra’ad-Yaghnam - Um Murad
Awards
- Won
- 2007 Dubai International Film Festival
- Muhr Award - Best Actor: Nadim Sawalha
- 2008 Durban International Film Festival
- Best First Feature Film
- 2008 Heartland Film Festival
- Crystal Heart Award - Feature Film
- Grand Prize for Dramatic Feature
- 2008 Newport Beach Film Festival
- Jury Award - Best Actor - Nadim Sawalha
- Jury Award - Best Actress - Rana Sultan
- 2008 Seattle International Film Festival
- Best Director Golden Space Needle Award - Amin Matalqa
- 2008 Sundance Film Festival
- Audience Award - World Cinema - Dramatic
- Nominated
- 2008 Sundance Film Festival
- Grand Jury Prize - World Cinema - Dramatic
References
- Matalqa, Amin. "Bringing Captain Abu Raed to Life". Moving Pictures Magazine. Retrieved 2008-10-28.
- Luck, Taylor (September 5, 2008). "Captain Abu Raed to be considered for Oscar nomination". Jordan Times. Retrieved 2008-10-23.
- "4th Dubai International Film Festival" (PDF). Retrieved 2008-10-26.
- "Award-winners at the 29th Durban International Film Festival". Durban International Film Festival. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
- ^ "Grand Prize Winners Announced; Screenings Continue All Week". Heartland Film Festival. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
- ^ "Newport Beach Film Festival Awards". Retrieved 2008-10-26.
- "SIFF Announces Audience and Jury Award Winners". Seattle International Film Festival. 2008-6-15. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - "2008 Sundance Film Festival Announces Awards" (PDF). 2008-1-26. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
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