Mohammed Assaf, an aspiring musician living in Gaza, sets a seemingly impossible goal: to compete on the program “Arab Idol.”
Gaza. Synonymous to so many with conflict, destruction and despair but to Mohammed Assaf, and his sister Nour, Gaza is their home and their playground. It's where they, along with their best friends Ahmad and Omar, play music, football and dare to dream big. Their band might play on second hand, beaten up instruments but their ambitions are sky-high. For Mohammed and Nour, nothing less than playing the world famous Cairo Opera Hall will do. It might take them a lifetime to get there but, as Mohammed will find out, some dreams are worth living for.
- Screened at the 2016 NZ International Film Festival
- Official Selection TIFF 2015 From the director of Omar and Paradise Now
- 85% on Rotten Tomatoes
Critic Reviews:
- Directed by the twice Oscar-nominated Hany Abu-Assad, it is remarkable for dancing deftly between politics and melodrama without coming down heavily on either side. – Times (UK)
- Idol is a frequently moving and inspirational story, which despite succumbing to an air of clichéd sentiment at times, is really a must-see. The performances from all concerned are unsurpassable. – RTÉ (Ireland)
- Critics of reality television might need to grit their teeth while enjoying this inspirational coming-of-age drama. – Cinemalogue.com