This film has suffered a vicious campaign to drop its rating because it has been sorely misinterpreted by many as offensive to Palestinian Detainees. In the last week, a group of social media activists have taken it upon themselves to organise a pan-Arab/worldwide campaign to stop the film from being screened in movie Theaters in Jordan and else where, after it had been successfully screened in the Venice Film Festival , Katharge film festival Tunisia and even in Palestine, but after its screening at the Karama film festival in Amman, Jordan, it was accused on gravely undermining the strife of Palestinian political detainees in Israeli prisons, by addressing a very sensitive topic (the smuggling of Detainees sperms to make in vitro babies as a show of resistance to the occupation. The strange thing that most of the people attacking the film never even saw it. But I did see it, and I say in good conscience as a patriot that the film's intent is the absolute opposite. And it is a superbly made piece of art and drama that deserves to be watched.. Don't take my word for it.. testament to how gripping and worthy the film is, is the fact that it was chosen as the official selection by Jordan for the 2022 Academy Awards! (yes! The Oscars!) but after this controversy, it has been pulled.
The low rating on IMDB is the result of the call by the anit-Amira campaign organisers for people to go onto IMDB and give it a zero rating.
The film won three awards in the Venice Film festival and received a 7-minute standing ovation. So how it can be rated 1.6, is truly suspicious. Even more suspicious is how it can have 7.5k ratings, when it has not been released in movie theaters yet and only screened in 3 or 4 film festivals (it was recently pulled out of the Red Sea Film festival in Saudi Arabic by its filmmaker and producers out of respect for the Palestinian Detainees and consideration for their feelings. The Film's writer and director, Mohammed Diab issued a statement trying to clarify his honest intent at actually shedding light on the Palestinian strife and is working on trying to request a special screening and dialogue with the Detainees and their families for them to see for themselves that the film that has been severely misjudged and misconstrued and judge for themselves.
As someone who DID watch the film, I can say this: Amira is a heart-wrenching tale of a young Palestinian girl who grows up dreaming of going off on wonderful adventures with her father, whom she never ever had the chance to touch except from behind the prison glass... and probably never will, as he is a political detainee.
When the shocking revelation that the man she has idolised her entire life is not her biological father happens, after her parents decide to try and have another baby by attempting once again to smuggle his sperm out of the Israeli prison, (which is considered a form of resistance by Palestinians, stating that you cannot stop us from procreating, and making more Palestinians, even if we are behind bars) , Amira's world is turned upside down, and she begins the quest to find who her biological father is, and how that could be. This twist is heightened even more when the revelation of who her true father is happens... at which time Amira decides to take matters into her own hands to clear her name and her mother's name.
Mohammed Diab's gripping story line and brilliant filmmaking skill is world-class, as is evident from the fact that he went on to be the first Arabic director chosen to direct a Marvel movie, and the strong message about how devastating to Palestinian life the Israeli occupation is, the use of sound - and lack of it - the tension, the performance of all the A-list cast of mostly Palestinian actors... make this film a must-watch.
Forget the unrealistic rating, based on a wrongful campaign. Unfortunately now it has been pulled from every where, let's hope reason prevails and it gets to play again. If it does, make sure to go watch it.... and bring along lots of tissues.
The low rating on IMDB is the result of the call by the anit-Amira campaign organisers for people to go onto IMDB and give it a zero rating.
The film won three awards in the Venice Film festival and received a 7-minute standing ovation. So how it can be rated 1.6, is truly suspicious. Even more suspicious is how it can have 7.5k ratings, when it has not been released in movie theaters yet and only screened in 3 or 4 film festivals (it was recently pulled out of the Red Sea Film festival in Saudi Arabic by its filmmaker and producers out of respect for the Palestinian Detainees and consideration for their feelings. The Film's writer and director, Mohammed Diab issued a statement trying to clarify his honest intent at actually shedding light on the Palestinian strife and is working on trying to request a special screening and dialogue with the Detainees and their families for them to see for themselves that the film that has been severely misjudged and misconstrued and judge for themselves.
As someone who DID watch the film, I can say this: Amira is a heart-wrenching tale of a young Palestinian girl who grows up dreaming of going off on wonderful adventures with her father, whom she never ever had the chance to touch except from behind the prison glass... and probably never will, as he is a political detainee.
When the shocking revelation that the man she has idolised her entire life is not her biological father happens, after her parents decide to try and have another baby by attempting once again to smuggle his sperm out of the Israeli prison, (which is considered a form of resistance by Palestinians, stating that you cannot stop us from procreating, and making more Palestinians, even if we are behind bars) , Amira's world is turned upside down, and she begins the quest to find who her biological father is, and how that could be. This twist is heightened even more when the revelation of who her true father is happens... at which time Amira decides to take matters into her own hands to clear her name and her mother's name.
Mohammed Diab's gripping story line and brilliant filmmaking skill is world-class, as is evident from the fact that he went on to be the first Arabic director chosen to direct a Marvel movie, and the strong message about how devastating to Palestinian life the Israeli occupation is, the use of sound - and lack of it - the tension, the performance of all the A-list cast of mostly Palestinian actors... make this film a must-watch.
Forget the unrealistic rating, based on a wrongful campaign. Unfortunately now it has been pulled from every where, let's hope reason prevails and it gets to play again. If it does, make sure to go watch it.... and bring along lots of tissues.