The Stranger
Spring Grants 2019 - Production, Production, Production Stage
Ameer Fakher Eldin / Feature Narrative / Syria, Palestine, Germany, Qatar / 2021 / 110 min / Original Language: Arabic / Interests: Drama
Synopsis
After spending unfruitful years studying medicine in the former Soviet Union, Adnan decided to quit and return home. He went against the will of his father, an old, stubborn and very religious man, who all he wanted was to see his son a doctor. Adnan became an alcoholic, further angering his father. Considering it an insult to his morality and religion, the father’s punishment was severe. Adnan was disinherited from the apple orchards which the family owned, and in which he worked and spent most his time. Tired and embittered Adnan accidentally encounters Basel, a wounded soldier who escaped the Syrian war in search for his original village. Adnan decides to rescue him and the two embark on a perilous journey to fulfil Basel’s dream. But first, Adnan has to confront the village leaders, the Israeli army, and most of all—his father.
Credits
- Director
- Ameer Fakher Eldin
- Screenwriter
- Ameer Fakher Eldin
- Producer
- Tony Copti
- Production Company
- Fresco Films
About the Director
Ameer Fakher Eldin is a German-based writer and director who was born in Kyiv, Ukraine, in 1991 to Syrian parents from the Golan Heights. His debut film, 'The Stranger' (Al Garib, 2021), premiered at the 78th Venice International Film Festival (Giornate Degli Autori), where it won the Edipo Re Award. It was also selected as Palestine's official entry for Best International Feature Film at the 94th Academy Awards and received acclaim at the 43rd Cairo International Film Festival, winning Best Arab Film in the festival and the Shadi Abd El Salam Prize for Best Film in the International Critics Week Competition. At the Asia Pacific Screen Awards, 'The Stranger' received further recognition with a nomination for Best Director and an impressive win for Best Cinematography. His second feature, 'Yunan,' is currently in post-production and won the Red Sea Souk Post-Production Award. It is set to have its world premiere in 2024.