Loading ...Mohammed Assaf's biopic The Idol is headed our way!
Fresh off London’s red carpet with his new fiance in tow, Mohammed Assaf told The National that The Idol is edging closer to Arab screens. A screening at Doha’s Ajyal Youth Film Festival on November 29 and the Dubai International Film Festival which begins December 9.
“I’m very proud of the film,” he said. “It’s not just my life story, it’s also about a great section of Palestinians, especially in Gaza.” The film has had a warm reception on both sides of the Atlantic, and the London screening saw Palestinian actor Saleh Bakri and British musician, BDS campaigner and frequent U2 and Coldplay collaborator, Brian Eno in attendance.
“I’m very interested in the Palestinian issue and that is why I got involved in this,” Eno told The National. “I also like Arabic music a lot and I heard about his winning Arab Idol and I heard the music and there was interest from that point of view too.”
Brian Eno and British Pakistani politician and lawyer Baroness Warsi introduce the singer. Baroness Warsi quit her cabinet position in August last year over the British government’s policy on Gaza. In her introduction, she commended Assaf for his commitment to working with UNRWA and advised him to remain true to his principals. The audience were treated to a Q&A and a four-song set from Assaf, followed by an encore.
With so many desperate Arab fans waiting in anticipation, the Middle East release of The Idol will be treated as a big movie, according to producer Ali Jaafar. “It’s not Batman, but certainly the kind of film that will go to multiple screens, day and date, a real campaign. [Dubai based broadcaster] MBC will be critical for that because they will be supporting the film with TV Spots. We want posters up weeks in advance, not just the day before – we want to treat the film with respect and hopefully the audience will react.”
“We are looking at before the end of the year – we haven’t quite tied down the release date yet,” he told The National. “It could be a Christmas movie but it might slip to January – but we want to get it out as quick as possible.
“We are proud of the film. We want audiences to enjoy it, we want to take their mind off the difficulties in the region for a couple of hours.”
Source: www.albawaba.com