OH.EM.GEE! Did Emirati director, Ali Mostafa, just revolutionize the film-making industry here in the UAE? I, for one, surely think he did!
Last night, and for the first time in the nation's capital's history, the 8th Abu Dhabi Film Festival showcased a locally directed/produced, 100% made in the UAE, movie titled From A to B.
The story line? Simple! A group of 3 childhood friends deciding to embark on a road-trip from Abu Dhabi (A), passing through the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, making a pit-stop in Syria, and ultimately reaching their final destination, Beirut (B) to make it just in time to pay respects to an old late friend on the occasion of his birthday. Yet, what might sound as an uncomplicated mission turns out to be more challenging than any of the 3 lifelong buddies could have anticipated, as they find themselves digging their way out of circumstance-imposed political hurdles while overcoming their own personal issues.
The movie stars Fadi Rifaai (as Omar), stand-up comedian Fahad Al Butairi (as Yousef/'Jay'), and Shadi AlFons (as Rami) who also worked on Bassem Yousef's 'ElBarnameg'. The movie also features a number of Arab renowned actors including Samir Al-Masry, Maha Abou Ouf, and Khaled Abol Naga, among others.
Despite Ali Mostafa's previous success in directing City of Life, I must admit that we were a little skeptical at-first with how this attempt will turn out to be. Boy, were we so wrong, and we never felt happier being this wrong before! From A to B hooked us from the outset and kept us engaged until the very last minute. The most impressive part is that Mostafa had brilliantly acknowledged and tackled through some of the Middle East's hot political topics while still ensuring that the audience had a balanced share of laugh at some of the humorous incidents the film characters had found themselves in (think The Hangover movie Part 1; yes, it is that funny!).
From A to B is highly-highly recommended, and will be shown today (Friday October 24, 2014) at 8.45PM in Vox Cinemas Marina Mall, Abu Dhabi as part of this year's Abu Dhabi Film Festival. The movie's UAE cinema release date is due for January 1, 2015.
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