September Rain/ Matar Ayloul (International Competition film)

Syria/2010/Arabic dialouge with English subtitles /Colour/35 mm/87 mins

Genre: Musical, Experimental, Animation

Cast & Credits

Director: Abdullatif Abdelhamid
Producer: Haitham Hakki
Scriptwriter: Abdullatif Abdelhamid
Cinematographer: Joud Gourani
Editor: Rauf Zaza
Composer: Essam Rafea
Cast (in alphabetical order): Ayman Zidan, Kassim Milho, Samar Sami

Synopsis

Legendary actor-director Abdullatif Abdulhamid opens his latest feature in 1940s Damascus, where a young man is listening to a broadcast of the songs of the buzuq player, Muhammad Abdul Karim. Flipping to the present day, the young man is now a father with a fruit-selling business, bringing up his large, musical family alone, following the death of his beloved wife, and surviving in a world of corrupt officialdom and class divides. Abdullatif Abdulhamid evokes the family and community dramas of both generations brilliantly in this witty, affectionate yet devastating portrayal of life in the Syrian capital. Anything but a traditional film, the veteran director employs surreal touches and visual metaphors but with such a lightness of touch that they blend into the compelling narrative. This is a beautifully composed and shot tour de force. 

Abdullatif Abdelhamid was born in Syria in 1954. He obtained his diploma from High Film School of Moscow. Abdulhamid worked for the Syrian National Film Organization. He directed nine feature films, including ‘Jackal Nights’, ‘Verbal Messages’,’ Rising Rain’, ‘Breeze of the Soul’, ‘Two Moons and Olives Tree’ , ‘Listeners Choice’,’ Out of Coverage’. He was last at DIFF with ’Days of Boredom’ in 2008.

September Rain Trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nm2R00fKHB4