David (2011)

'David' tells the story of Daud, an eleven year old religious Muslim boy growing up in Brooklyn. Concealing his Muslim identity, Daud inadvertently befriends a group of Jewish boys who ... See full summary »

Directors:

Joel Fendelman, Patrick Daly (co-director)

Writers:

Patrick Daly, Joel Fendelman

Stars:

Taoufik Abid, Diab Ahmar, Amer Almaaly

3 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Credited cast:
Taoufik Abid	...	Rami's father
Diab Ahmar	...	Elderly man in mosque
Amer Almaaly	...	Koran student 3
Abdo Almasmary	...	David's uncle
Marjorie Austrian	...	Yoav's aunt Mrs. Zakutinski
Zeinab Bader	...	Distraught Syrian woman
Shahadat Bado	...	Dr. Naser
Akram Basuni	...	Rami
Gamze Ceylan	...	Daud's mother Fatima
Adam Elbordiny	...	Koran Student 4
Lara Gedzelman	...	Yoav's mother
Markus Goldberg	...	Dovi
Michael J. Golden	...	Moshe (as Michael Golden)
Kareem Hamoudeh	...	Koran student 2
Mohamad Hamoudeh	...	Koran student 1

Storyline

'David' tells the story of Daud, an eleven year old religious Muslim boy growing up in Brooklyn. Concealing his Muslim identity, Daud inadvertently befriends a group of Jewish boys who through a haphazard sequence of events mistake him for being Jewish and accept him as one of their own. A genuine bond of friendship is formed between Daud and Yoav, on of the Jewish boys; Daud experiences a sense of freedom, joy, and camaraderie that he has never felt before, and for a brief time enjoys being a carefree eleven year old Brooklyn boy. When the Jewish boys discover Daud's true identity, Daud's world is shattered and he is left alone, struggling to come to terms with his place in the world.

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Genres:

Drama | Family

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User Reviews

A moving account of how one Muslim boy's innocent steps change him, his family, and those he meets

I watched this movie at a showing in the Montreal World Film Festival and was genuinely impressed.

In weaving together a story of the complexities of the relationship between Jewish and Muslim communities in New York, this film escapes the traps of varying prejudices or propaganda to shine an ingenuous light on a deeper and more hopeful human understanding through the authentic actions of a boy caught between the different expectations of conformity brought by the adult world around him.

Scene selection, cutting, and facial expression all contribute to a realistic but still moving look at human interaction. While the acting was impressive all around, Muatasem Mishal, the young actor who played the leading role of Da'ud, offers a superb performance that brings a depth of meaning to the screen with relatively little dialogue.

An excellent, authentic film. Highly recommended.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2011 (USA)

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

80 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

16:9 HD