FAKHR ALSUWAIDI
Saudi Arabia I 2024 I Arabic dialogue with English subtitles l 131 min
ABOUT FILM
In Al-Suwaidi High School, the passionate yet impulsive school principal, Shaheen, decides to establish a new Sharia class, seeing it as his unique and independent project separate from the school’s traditional path. Shaheen’s enthusiasm grows as he connects with an eclectic group of students, including Ziyad, a free-spirited young man recently returned from America who seeks to break away from his family’s expectations, Mazen, whose high energy and love for brawls set him apart, and Saeed, a reformed troublemaker working to redeem his image after a scandalous theft.
Shaheen forms a parental bond with them, but his ambitious plans face obstacles from his younger brother Moeen, the school’s owner, who seeks external funding to rescue the school financially and opposes additional spending on the Sharia class.
As the school year progresses, the humorous and awkward encounters between Shaheen and his
students escalate, while the confiict between Shaheen and Moeen intensifies. With Moeen pressuring Shaheen to achieve tangible results or risk the Sharia class’s closure, their relationship builds towards the final board meeting, which will determine Shaheen’s and the Sharia class’s fate.
Screening: May 3rd 18:00 Copenhagen – Film Institute Cinema
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CAST & CREDITS
Director: Hisham Fathi, Abdullah Bamjbour, Osamah Salih
Writer: Yazeed Al-Mousa
Cast: Fahad Al-Mutairi, Faisal Al-Ahmari, Saeed Al-Qahtani, Yazeed Al-Mousa, Yasin Ghazzawi, Salah Al-Dali, Mohammad Ali, Mohannad Al-Saleh, Abdullah Ahmed, Osamah Salih, Nayef Al-Fawwaz, Abdulaziz Al-Mubaddel, Osama Al-Qass
Dop: Mohammad Daraz
Producer: Osamah Salih, Osama AlKhuraiji
HISHAM FATHI
After studying Architecture in Alexandria, he moved on to Cinema, studying Directing in Cairo and graduating in 2003. In parallel, he worked as an assistant director in a great number of Egyptian and international films, then went on to directing advertisements. Hisham made his directorial debut with the hit comedy series, Al Kabeer Part III. He succeeded in going on to create a handful of comedy hits including the Tv show; Al Frenga and the series; The Last of the Schmucks. Alongside his original calling directing advertisements. In 2022, after two years of working on it, he released his first movie; Hamel El Lakab (The Title Holder). Marking the third cooperation between the Director and the lead actor and writer; Hesham Maged. He is a graduate of the Higher Institute of Cinema in Cairo.
ABDULLAH BAMJBOUR
Saudi director and writer who studied his Master’s degree in Film Directing at Chapman University in Los Angeles. Abdullah is the founder and CEO of Scenariohat. He began his career in 2016 with the series Cut, and rose to prominence with the popular Ramadan series Ureem on MBC, which ran for two seasons.
His latest work, Fursan Quraih (2024), topped viewership charts on Shahid in Saudi Arabia during its airing.
OSAMAH SALIH
Writer, actor, producer, and filmmaker with a Master’s degree in Film Directing from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. He is the CEO and co-founder of Qatrob Media Production, specializing in audiovisual content. Salih has written, acted in, and directed numerous acclaimed projects, including Shaqat Al-Ayal, Cut, Khurais, and Chromosome. He has also starred in award-winning films such as Zero Distance and Forty Years and a Night, as well as the TV series The Fates Hotel.