enda
Film

Al Medina

Omar Shargawi, Denmark, 2015

89 min.DK/FeatureDrama

Yusif, who is half-Danish, half Arab, travels to the Middle Eastern city of Medina along with his pregnant Danish wife, Sarah. Yusif wants to start a new life with his wife in his father’s hometown. He is convinced that this is where he belongs and happiness lies ahead. However, shortly after their arrival, Yusif is unintentionally responsible for a beggar boy’s death. The people of the street beat up Sarah and Yusif. She miscarries. He is put in prison for murder. The only thing that keeps Yusif’s spirit up in the Arab prison is the thought of seeing Sarah again and his faith in God. However, when he realises that he has to sit in a prison hole for the rest of his life, he loses his patience, faith and hope. All that is left is anger towards the Creator he used to love.
Basic information Credits Materials
Original title Al Medina
Danish title Al Medina
Director Omar Shargawi
Screenplay Omar Shargawi
Producer René Ezra, Tomas Radoor, Rula Nasser, Zire Schucany
Director of Photography Aske Alexander Foss
Editor Morten Højbjerg, Thomas Papapetros, Omar Shargawi
Sound Mikkel Groos
Composer Anders Christensen, Rune Funch
Production designer Thomas Bremer
Casting Lara Atallah
Appearance Omar Shargawi, Ashraf Farah, Ghazal, Sara Hjort Ditlevsen
Production country Denmark, Jordan
Domestic distribution Nordisk Film Distribution A/S
International sales Nordisk Film A/S
Danish theatrical release 19.05.2016
Cinemas Grand Teatret - København
Øst for Paradis - Aarhus
Biffen Aalborg - Aalborg
Café Biografen - Odense
Nicolai Bio og Café - Kolding
Comment Al Medina is Omar Shargawi’s second feature fiction film, after his debut Go with Peace Jamil (2008), winner of the VPRO Tiger Award in Rotterdam. He is also behind the two documentaries My Father from Haifa (2009), awarded at Dubai Film Festival, and ½ Revolution (2011), selected for Sundance.
DFI subsidy Konsulentstøtte
Danish rating Allowed for children over the age of 15
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Companies

Production company
Executive Producer Nordisk Film Production
Co-production Dubai Market – ENJAZZ
With support from Det Danske Filminstitut, The Arab Fund for Arts & Culture
In collaboration with DR, The Imaginarium Films
Domestic distribution Nordisk Film Distribution A/S

Direction

Direction Omar Shargawi
Casting Lara Atallah
Casting supervisor Alaadin Khasawneh
Casting coordinator Sara Soudani
Extras coordinator Rafique al Rihawi
1st assistant director Yanal Kassay
2nd assistant director Tareq Afifi
3rd assistant director Mohamad Kloub
Translator Helle Schou Kristiansen
Translator Dima Hamdalla
Translator Hassan El Sayed

Script

Screenplay Omar Shargawi
Script consultant Mogens Rukov

Production

Producer René Ezra
Producer Tomas Radoor
Producer Rula Nasser
Line producer Maj-Britt Paulmann Dalsgaard
Line producer: Jordan Rula Al Nasser
Production manager Sune Lolk
Executive producer Henrik Zein
Executive producer Lena Haugaard
Unit production manager Jamal al Adwan
Location manager Saeb Abul Ragheb
Production coordinator Azza Hourani
Unit manager Yasmeen Abu Newar
Production assistant Hayat el Samadi
Assistant location manager Omar Nusirat
Post-producton coordinator Morten Sylvest Arnoldus
Producer Zire Schucany
Producer's assistant Matilda Appelin
Producer's assistant Lea Lykke

Cinematography

Director of Photography Aske Alexander Foss
First assistant camera Said Najmi
2nd assistant camera Hashim al Abdali
Dailies Yousef Abdel Nabi
DIT Shahnaz Dulaimy
Dailies Toleen Touq

Electrical dept.

Gaffer Ezz Isleem
Best boy Dani Ameer
Best boy Ahmad Akeel

Editing

Editor Morten Højbjerg
Editor Thomas Papapetros
Editor Omar Shargawi
Editing supervisor Anders Refn
Avid supervisor Liv Lynge
Assistant editor Jesper Bækdal

Music

Composer Anders Christensen
Composer Rune Funch

Production design

Production designer Thomas Bremer
Art director Nasser Zoubi
Creative consultant Mahmoud al Massad
Creative consultant Daro Daro
Creative consultant Boris De Freitas
Property master Anas Balawi
Set decorator Taha Radaydeh
Set decorator Ibrahim Dawood

Wardrobe

Key costumer Phaedra Dahdaleh
Wardrobe assistant Abdel "Abdo" Fattah

Makeup

Hair and makeup designer Farah Jadaan
Assistant hair and makeup artist Bill Hazam
Wigs Ala Mazrawi

Sound

Sound recordist Francisco "Kiko" Fernandez
A-sound engineer: post-production Oskar Skriver
Sound designer Mikkel Groos
Recording engineer Fransisco Frenandiz
Boom operator Mohamad Reda
Boom operator Fadi Shehadeh
Sound design assistant Andreas Maxim
Foley artist Torben Greve
Foley recordist Nalle Hansen
Foley editor Lars Rasmussen
Recording engineer Hussam Sabankh
Recording engineer Kasper Rasmussen
Additional dialogue editor Jacques Pedersen
Sound effect editor Roar Skau Olsen
Sound technician Fares Al Were

Special effects

SFX Al Sahem

Visual effects

Online Daði Jónsson
Grading Anders Bloch Rose
VFX supervisor Thomas Øhlenschlæger
Compositing Michael Holm
Compositing Dann Sandgreen
Compositing Dan Dirckinck-Holmfeld
Graphic design Lasse Strøm
DCP mastering Thomas Caspersen
DCP mastering Thomas Schlein
DCP mastering Jens Lilledal Sørensen

Stunt

Stunt coordinator Jude Poyer

Appearance

Yusif Omar Shargawi
Dr. Rami Ashraf Farah
Nour Ghazal
Sarah Sara Hjort Ditlevsen
Faderen Hassan Shaer
Moderen Nadera Omran
Aya Majida Al Bashayreh
Jødisk rabbi Makram Khoury
Abu Ali Ali Elayan
Karima Siham Al Kurdi
Forhørsleder Ahmed Omari
Basima Ghazia Fares
Taxachauffør Hazim Elyaan
Skrædder Akram Musa Saleh
Jødisk barber Yacoub Najjar
Mand i moské Turk Barmawi
Tiggerdreng Mohamad Nayef
Grædende dreng Sobhi al Bashayreh
Barn i lejr Ibrahim Bashayreh
Dreng med ar Taha Firas
Bedstemoderen Youssra Issa
Abu Alis hustru Menwer al Jarah
Beduin Hamo Qasem
Beduin Eid al Soyjeen
Beduin Fayez Hweitat
Beduin Hussein Salameh al Sweilhiyeen
Voldtægtsmand Talaat Saleem
Råbende mand Rabi Bandora

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Reviews and articles

On the library you can find these articles and revies and other material about the film.
Type Source Author Date
Varia Morgenavisen Jyllandsposten Enggaard, Michael 2017-01-24
Artikel Berlingske Tidende Almbjerg, Sarah Iben 2016-12-22
Interview Weekendavisen Fejerskov, Johan Moe 2016-05-20
Anmeldelse BT Lind Michael 2016-05-19
Anmeldelse Berlingske Tidende Krogsgaard Christensen, Jeppe 2016-05-19
Interview Berlingske Tidende Lauritzen, Kirstine Benedicta 2016-05-19
Anmeldelse Ekstra Bladet Queitsch, Henrik 2016-05-19
Anmeldelse Morgenavisen Jyllandsposten Sommer Boysen, Katrine 2016-05-19
Anmeldelse Politiken-Fonden Vinterberg, Søren 2016-05-19
Interview Politiken-Fonden Sheikh, Jakob 2016-05-12