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Review

A star rating of 3 out of 5.

Dual Oscar nominee Hany Abu-Assad follows up Paradise Now (2005) and Omar (2013) with a very different account of life in the Palestinian Territories, one chronicling Mohammad Assaf's journey towards winning the TV show Arab Idol in 2013. Abetted by his exceptional young leads and cinematographer Ehab Assal's potent views of the beauty and brutality of life on the Gaza Strip, Abu-Assad seems more comfortable with the first half of this occasionally fanciful biopic, which centres on ten-year-old Assaf (Qais Attalah) and the band he forms with his older tomboy sister, Nour (Hiba Attalah). When the action leaps forward 13 years, however, the physical and psychological journey takes over, as Assaf (Tawfeek Barhom) - shaped more by family tragedy than by the occupation that has radicalised his old friend Omar - risks all to get to Cairo and progress through the rounds of the popular talent show. Abu-Assad deftly intercuts authentic footage with reconstruction as the tension builds to the grand final. But, for all its feel-good appeal, this is less substantial than his earlier outings.

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Credits

Cast

rolename
Mohammed AssafTawfeek Barhom
Young MohammedQais Attalah
NourHiba Attalah
AhmadAhmad Qassim
OmarAbdalkarim Abubaraka

Crew

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DirectorHany Abu-Assad

Details

Theatrical distributor
Studio Canal
Released on
2016-08-12
Languages
Arabic | Spanish
Available on
DVD
Formats
Colour
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