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Shami and Levantine Dialect

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Hai bit-jan-nen (to f)

English:

This is beautiful (drives me crazy)

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Casting Call for Elderly Arab Woman in Thesis Film

posted on: Jun 23, 2016

Casting director Nadine Foty is in need of an elderly Arab woman (age 70-80) to play the role of Samia in a short film called Il Mahal. The film is being produced for a Master’s thesis program by students. There is no compensation, but the film can help young Arab Americans invoke thought and discussion about Arab culture among peers. The deadline to apply is JUNE 24, 2016.

Film Synopsis

“Il Mahal is a film about a high school student Jamal and his longing for his missing father.  Jamal is trapped in a family convenience store forced to work for no pay by his overbearing uncle.  On Jamal’s 18th birthday, which would mark his adulthood and offer him freedom to leave,  he must choose whether to stay in the store or leave? Please note that this is a student film for a Master’s thesis at Howard University and is  being shot under the SAG-Aftra Student Film Agreement.

Film Information

TENTATIVE SHOOTING DATES: July 15-18th

LOCATION: Washington, DC/Northern Virginia

Character Bio

NAME: Samia

GENDER: Female

ETHNICITY: Arab

AGE: 70-80

Samia is the family matriarch and Jamal’s grandmother. She is very traditional and adheres to the customs of old Palestine.  She is resilient and believes in her methods as it is what has sustained her and her family since they immigrated from Palestine.  Her main goal is to quell the growing tension between Jamal (her grandson) and Soheil (her son).

Application

Please submit professional headshots, resume, and audition tape of the indicated scenes (the script excerpts are listed below each character description) by June 24, 2016. If there are any questions or concerns please contact the casting director Nadine Foty at ilmahal2016@gmail.com.

 SCRIPT EXCERPT

INT. STORE BACK-ROOM DAY (CONTINUED)
The room is dimly lit with a small crack of light coming through the window air conditioner unit. It is cramped and littered with stacked BROWN BOXES. Jalil sits at the table with his cut hand laid out.
She pulls out a plate with a mound of YELLOW SULPHUR, SEA SALT, and OLIVE OIL and sets it on the table.
SAMIA
This is going to hurt it may make you cry.
Jalil looks at Samia with vulnerability.
JALIL
Taita, I don’t know how to cry.
Samia looks at Jalil intently and then smiles.
SAMIA
You’re a big man!
Jalil looks blankly at his grandmother. Samia takes a pinch of each and applies pressure to his hand. His face is unmoved as the cut is cleaned. She wraps his hand with gauze. Samia secretly takes a LARGE ROLL OF CASH out of her bra and discreetly stuffs a $50 BILL in JALIL’s good hand.
SAMIA (CONT’D)
I pray for you Habibi. Happy Birthday! (whispering)
She closes his hand over the money into a balled up fist. Jalil bashfully consents.
SAMIA (CONT’D)
Keep your money wrapped in your hand, don’t open it.
Samia exits the room. Jalil cautiously looks over his shoulder. He walks to the other side of the room. A picture of a father holding his son in his arms from a different era is up on the wall. He opens the back of the frame exposing a lot of cash. He stuffs a 50 dollar bill in the frame. The 50 dollars bill sticks out of the corner of the frame. Soheil suddenly appears. Jalil jumps. He stands in the entrance stoically covered in silhouette.
SOHEIL
You’re just like your dad. Next time it will be worse.
Jalil puckers his lips and glares at Soheil. Samia enters.
SAMIA
Yallah, lets eat!
Samia notices the stand off. She walks over to Jalil and rubs his back. She looks at Soheil motioning Soheil to take it easy. Soheil walks to the head of the table, stopping to kiss Samia.
SOHEIL
Thank you Yamma, what would we do without you?
Samia kisses Jalil on the cheek. Samia walks over to the table and removes the aluminium foil from the food. The steam rises. Jalil takes his seat opposite to Soheil.
SOHEIL (CONT’D)
Yamma but spoiling him will only hurt him.
He takes his BLACK 32 CALIBER PISTOL from under his pants and places it on the table. The gun points at Jalil. Jalil looks back uneasy as his breath quickens. Soheil takes a box of bullets from his pocket.

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