DIRECTOR'S VISION
Over a decade ago, I moved from visual arts to making documentary and fiction films that expose the relationship between art, theory and activism, mostly in relation to the complexity of the Middle East. Perhaps in order to escape the mainstream world of advertising, where I had led a successful career (eventually selling my company to a big player), my previous films had an esoteric flavor that captured an elite audience but didn't reach the wider public. While using my skills behind the scenes to help others capture larger audiences, I realized that the story of my good friend, Tamer Nafar, is an excellent site where artistic values can reach a wide audience without sacrificing either. It's also a perfect reflection of universal conflicts in local problems.
With the understanding that we have an incredibly important and rare story in our hands, Tamer and I introduced the idea for a film to the preeminent scriptwriter Oren Moverman. Impressed by Tamer and his authenticity, Oren enthusiastically joined our team as co-writer. The well-crafted script by Tamer and Oren led to the formation of a prestigious production team that includes James Schamus, Stefan Arndt, Lawrence Inglee, and David Silber. No director could ask for a better team of producers for the realization of his vision.
Words on a page cannot express the power and creativity of Tamer's original musical score --a captivating mix of hip-hop beats and traditional Arabic melodies-- which runs throughout the film. Tamer's charisma, apparent to all who see him perform on stage and in his music videos, left us with no doubt that he will capture audiences by acting in the lead role. The film's setting is the mixed Palestinian-Jewish ghetto of Lod, with its tragic character. The camerawork will reveal the tension between the beauty of the music and the hard-core realism and rhythm of Lod's ghetto. With this gritty musical and aesthetic backdrop, the mood of the film will be reminiscent of a hybrid between 8 Mile and Ghost Dog.
Last but not least, I believe that the deep friendship between Tamer and me --between a Palestinian Arab and an Israeli Jew-- is much more than a dialogue. It is a collaboration aimed at creating a new language for art and freedom in the Middle East -- a language that could echo in the hearts of all.
-Udi Aloni
With the understanding that we have an incredibly important and rare story in our hands, Tamer and I introduced the idea for a film to the preeminent scriptwriter Oren Moverman. Impressed by Tamer and his authenticity, Oren enthusiastically joined our team as co-writer. The well-crafted script by Tamer and Oren led to the formation of a prestigious production team that includes James Schamus, Stefan Arndt, Lawrence Inglee, and David Silber. No director could ask for a better team of producers for the realization of his vision.
Words on a page cannot express the power and creativity of Tamer's original musical score --a captivating mix of hip-hop beats and traditional Arabic melodies-- which runs throughout the film. Tamer's charisma, apparent to all who see him perform on stage and in his music videos, left us with no doubt that he will capture audiences by acting in the lead role. The film's setting is the mixed Palestinian-Jewish ghetto of Lod, with its tragic character. The camerawork will reveal the tension between the beauty of the music and the hard-core realism and rhythm of Lod's ghetto. With this gritty musical and aesthetic backdrop, the mood of the film will be reminiscent of a hybrid between 8 Mile and Ghost Dog.
Last but not least, I believe that the deep friendship between Tamer and me --between a Palestinian Arab and an Israeli Jew-- is much more than a dialogue. It is a collaboration aimed at creating a new language for art and freedom in the Middle East -- a language that could echo in the hearts of all.
-Udi Aloni