Crayons of Askalan (Crayons of Askalan)
Arab Feature Competition
Laila Hotait Salas / Feature Documentary / Lebanon, Spain / 2011 / 60 min / Colour / HDCAM
In Arabic / English subtitles
Interests: Creative Bio, Exile, Docudrama
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
A creative documentary based on the powerful story of Palestinian artist Zuhdi Al Adawi. In 1975, at the age of fifteen Zuhdi is imprisoned in the high security Israeli jail, Askalan. With the help of his fellow prisoners and their families, he keeps his spirit alive through artistic expression, smuggling in color crayons and smuggling out his artwork, with a pillowcase as his canvas.
About the Directors
LAILA HOTAIT is a Lebanese Spanish Filmmaker. Her first film, “Crayons of
Askalan” has premiered at the Doha Tribeca Film Festival, Oct. 2011 & CPH:Dox,
Nov. 2011, Nominated for the Amnesty International Award, and has been also
selected for the Dubai Film Market, Dec. 2011. This film was supported by AFAC in
association with Sundance Documentary Institute, Screen Institute Beirut & the
Doha Film Institute.
As a Fulbright grantee, Hotait studied Film directing in San Francisco State
University. Before, she had worked as a correspondent for Al Jazeera Children TV.
Her work, that ranges from video art, to spots and short films, has been shown in
museums, art galleries, academic venues and international film festivals.
Credits
- Director
- Laila Hotait Salas
- Screenwriter
- Tetra Balestri , Laila Hotait Salas
- Producer
- Laila Hotait Salas, Nadia Hotait Salas , Mohammad Hamdar, Federika Odriozola
- Editor
- Miguel Burgos
- Music
- Scrambbled Eggs
- Cinematographer
- Diego Lopez
- Sound
- Sound Design : TUNEFORK
- Cast
- Zuhdi Al Adawi , Mohammad Al Masri