V –0 08 - Rehoboth Beach Film Society

This tender yet harrowing tale of a young Afghan girl’s
determination to attend school no matter what the obstacles
is a classic example of Iranian cinema’s powerful use of
allegory to illustrate life in Afghanistan today. Heartwarming
and at times heartbreaking, this allegorical drama weaves
a tale of a resourceful young girl’s determination to go to
school. The director uses a deceptively simple story and
non-professional actors (mostly children) to create a beautiful
and harrowing drama. Set in the carved-out homes that
cling to the side of the mountain next to the wreckage of
the two huge Buddhas imploded by the Taliban, the story is
about a rosy-cheeked 6-year-old Afghan girl named Baktay
(Nikbakht Noruz) who, seeing her neighbor return from
school one day, gets it into her head that she wants to go to
school as well. She is quickly confronted by challenges, which
The first independent film to come out of Jordan, Captain
Abu Raed will be remembered for more than its historical
significance. It is also a beautiful, life-affirming account of the
power of storytelling and an ode to the ordinary people we meet
along life’s path who change our destiny. Abu Raed is an old
airport janitor who has always dreamed of seeing the world,
but he has only experienced it vicariously through books and
brief encounters with travelers. In his poor neighborhood, Abu
Raed befriends a group of children who show up at his door one
morning wanting to hear about his adventures around the world.
Because he sports a discarded captain’s hat, they all think he
was an airline pilot. As their relationships deepen, Abu Raed
buddah collapsed
out of shame
(buda as sharm foru rIkht)
Berlin Film Festival Generation K Plus Best Film
THuRS NOV 6 2:00 PM-3:30 PM
SPONSORED BY: KING’S HOMEMADE ICE CREAM
SAT NOV 8 5:20 PM-6:50 PM
SPONSORED BY: RITA’S
SuN NOV 9 3:05 PM-4:30 PM
SPONSORED BY: SIQuIS
*This film is part of the War sidebar
she enterprisingly overcomes, including buying a notebook,
finding a pencil (her mother’s lipstick) and traveling the
rugged terrain to the school. On her way to school, she meets
up with a group of boys playing war -- not “Cowboys and
Indians” but “Americans and Taliban.” The boys “capture”
her, and the threat of play becoming real intensifies for both
Baktay and the audience. Vivid cinematography of the rugged
landscape and Noruz’s amazing performance form the
backdrop to this powerful yet tender fable.
[Dir. hana Makhmalbaf, 2007, iran, 35mm, 81 mins. in Farsi
with English subtitles]
Website: www.lecahier-lefilm.com
captaIn abu raed
Golden Space Needle (Best Film) Seattle International Film Festival
Sundance Film Festival Audience Award Best World Dramatic Competition
Newport Beach Film Festival Best Film
Jordan’s Official Entry to the 81st Academy Awards as Best Foreign Film
WED NOV 5 7:45 PM-9:35 PM
SPONSORED BY: DOLLES/IBACH’S CANDY BY THE SEA
THuRS NOV 6 8:45 PM-10:45 PM
SPONSORED BY: DOLPHIN DREAMING
SuN NOV 9 10:00 AM-11:55 AM
SPONSORED BY: CAPE GAzETTE
discovers the grim realities of their lives and tries to make a
difference. With Jordan as a backdrop, the film glows rich in hue
and texture, and director Amin Matalqa is an expert at drafting a
wide range of human characters to fill the screen. For Abu Raed,
dreaming of a different life is a magical thing, but taking action
and helping others, no matter what the risk, may be the greatest
personal gift of all.
[Dir. Amin Matalqa, 2007, Jordan, video, 110 mins. in Arabic
with English subtitles]
Website: www.captainaburaed.com
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feaTure films