Captain Abu Raed (2007)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Amin Matalqa

Writer:

Amin Matalqa (writer)

Release Date:

14 August 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

An unlikely airport janitor makes a difference in the life of a boy in his poor neighborhood.

Plot:

An aging airport janitor who is mistaken for an airline pilot by a group of poor neighborhood children weaves fantastical stories to offer hope for a sad, and sometimes unchangeable, reality.

Plot Keywords:

Children | Janitor | Mistaken Identity | Independent Film | Character Name In Title

Awards:

15 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Nadim Sawalha	...	Abu Raed
Rana Sultan	...	Nour
Hussein Al-Sous
Udey Al-Qiddissi
Ghandi Saber	...	Abu Murad
Dina Raad-Yaghnam	...	Um Murad
Nadim Mushahwar	...	Sameh
Faisal Majali	...	Ziad
Mohammad Qteshat	...	Hilal
Khaled Al-Safi	...	Ali
Rami Samara	...	Chubby Boy
Ayat Najah Abd Al-Sadeq	...	Petra
Lara Sawalha	...	Girlfriend at party
Khuloud Khaled Issa	...	Khuloud
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Phaedra Dahdaleh	...	Nour's Friend
Claire Naber	...	Lady writing name
Fawaz Zoubi	...	Pilot

Runtime:

102 min | Argentina:110 min

Country:

Jordan

Language:

Arabic

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Netherlands:9

Filming Locations:

Amman, Jordan

Company:

Paper and Pen Films

Trivia:

When auditioning the kids a year before filming began, none of the kids knew what the film was about. When asked what they wanted to be when they grow up, they all answered Doctor or teacher. Except for one boy, Hussein Al-Sous. He wanted to become a pilot. He was the boy chosen to play Murad in the film.

Overrated

The filmmaker's cut-throat approach to promoting his film has raised a few eyebrows. Matalqa in numerous interviews claims his film is the first Jordanian feature film in 50 or 30 years. But the truth is two feature films were made in Jordan: The Mission in 2007 and Oriental Tale in 1991. I don't see why it's necessary to try to erase other people's accomplishments to make a name for himself. Why not continue the journey that others have started instead of undermining their legacy. As for the film itself, it's not technically weak but it's not a memorable film. What's noticeable about the film is the presence of so many actors who work in official institutions in Jordan such as employees or former employees of various cultural organizations such as Ali Maher of the Royal Film Commission, Lina Attal (head of Queen Nour Performing Arts Center), Dina Raad (ex-manager at the Royal Film Commission), Phaedra Dahdaleh (ex-Royal Film Commission employee) and others, Rana Sultan (Jordan Government TV presenter). Yet this film is being promoted as an independent film.