Bilal
Special Screening - Ajyal Youth Film Festival 2015
Ayman Jamal, Khurram H. Alavi / Feature Narrative / United Arab Emirates / 2015 / 115 min / Colour / DCP2K / In English / Arabic subtitles / World Premiere
Rated: Parental guidance is advised for viewers under the age of 13. Individuals under the age of 13 are not admitted into cinemas unless accompanied by an individual aged 18 or older.
Synopsis
In a dreamlike vision, mysterious dark riders mounted on demonic black horses bear down upon a village. Nearby, little Bilal dreams of being a great warrior as he gallops along on his hobbyhorse. The riders come closer – are they real? Or are they just a figment of the youngster’s extraordinary imagination?
Suddenly, Bilal’s dream becomes a nightmare. The men on horseback kill his mother and take him captive along with Ghufaira, his sister, and they are soon sold as slaves to Umayya, the wealthiest merchant in all of Arabia. Bilal never forgets this terrible day, which haunts his sleep for years to come. But the echoes of his mother’s gentle voice stay with him, a constant reminder that to break free of the chains that enslave him, he must be resolute in determining his own destiny.
Four years in the making and involving creative talents from 22 countries, ‘Bilal’ is the first animated feature from Dubai-based Barajoun Studios. Combining a wonderful script inspired by the story of Bilal bin Rabah, impeccable research and breathtaking animation technology, this inspiring story of faith, hope and self-discovery is sure to echo for generations to come.
About the Director
Khurram H. Alavi spent the last two years working with Barajoun Entertainment to adapt the inspiring story of 'Bilal'. In addition to his scriptwriting and directing abilities, Khurram is also a digital sculptor and character artist, and has designed products for Marvel, Disney, Warner Bros., Sega and SONY.
Credits
- Director
- Ayman Jamal, Khurram H. Alavi
- Screenwriter
- Khurram Alavi, Alex Kronemer, Michael Wolfe, Yassin Kamel
- Producer
- Ayman Jamal
- Editor
- Patricia Heneine
- Executive Producer
- Arif Jilani
- Music
- Atli Örvarsson
- Cinematographer
- Ajdin Durakovic, Nareg Kalenderian
- Production Company
- Barajoun Studios
- Distributor
- Gulf Film LLC
- Cast
- Ian Mcshane, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Andre Robinson, Jacob Latimore, Cynthia Kaye McWilliams, China Anne McClain