Yalla Parkour

Sweden, Palestine, Jordan, United States / Arabic, Swedish / 90 min 

Director: Areeb Zuaiter

Producer: Basel Mawlawi

Synopsis:

Stockholm Metropolitan Area, Sweden, 2019 (6,519 miles2) – In a bus crossing towards the outskirts, AHMAD, 26, is on a mission of spreading the Parkour skills. The life he left behind is one that he dearly values but that is so troubled: Khan Younis, Gaza, 2015 (141miles 2) – Ahmad, 19 at the time, ABDULLAH, 19, MOHAMMED, 22, and JIHAD, 25, are inseparable Gazan millennials. In an information age, where everything travels so fast, those friends are constantly hustling to catch up. Ahmad and the team keep practicing Parkour despite all challenges. While Jihad’s efforts are overpowered by family obligations, Abdulla’s are trimmed by the need to earn a degree and make a living. And while Mohammad’s pursuit of the sport is halted by a detrimental injury, Ahmad’s is rewarded by a realization of his long-sought exit plan. Now, Ahmad lives the “Gazan dream”; fleeing Gaza. His goal is to give back and keep the game of freedom alive in the besieged city. Nonetheless, he toils towards another, conflicting, mission: helping his friends, what is left of Parkour Team in Gaza, out.

Director:

Areeb Zuaiter

Areeb Zuaiter is a multinational filmmaker who focuses on identity and social issues. Her work was nominated and awarded in festivals around the world. Zuaiter led the Regional Department at the Royal Film Commission – Jordan, she worked for the Associated Press and was exposed to the latest technologies in production and broadcasting. She worked at the National Museum of American History where she produced some of the Museum’s key film projects. Areeb had been on the evaluation committee of some of the most competitive programs that cater for the Arab Region. Zuaiter currently teaches Visual Literacy at the American University.

Producer:

Basel Mawlawi

Basel Mawlawi is the founder of Kinana Films, a producer, and a production manager. He was raised in Damascus, Syria, and received his Bachelor of Arts from Middlesex University (UK) and a Professional Diploma in Film Production from SAE Institute (Australia). Basel worked for more than 8 years as a producer and production manager on a number of documentary projects in Jordan and Syria and producer a short film called Patchwork House that premiered at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival (Short Film Corner). Basel currently works as a producer in Malmo, Sweden. He recently producer the twelve-part documentary series for Al-Jazeera Documentary called Camera and a City that follows the travel adventures and cultural exploration of an Egyptian journalist and a short film called The Barber which has been fully produced in Sweden.