Al-Risalah Issue 1, October 2014 | Page 25

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Film review

By Arjumand Fatima

Omar

A little over a month ago, my roommates and I ventured out to the group study rooms in the IC because of the pathetic quality of the internet in our apartment building. It was a Tuesday night at the start of the year, one of those rare nights without any work, and we were hoping to wind down with a movie on Netflix and light banter. Given my roommates’ exceptional taste in cinema, I had already thrown out any notion of actually enjoying the night’s distraction and was already starting up my laptop. Armed with Pinterest and H&M’s online fall sale, I was ready to block out whatever frivolous Christmas centric film Shifa suggested and the facetious ethnic romantic comedy Mehreen would undoubtedly put on five minutes into the first movie. Surprisingly, Mehreen’s recommendation that night, Omar, was anything but frivolous or facetious.

The film follows a young Palestinian freedom fighter that is tricked into confessing for the killing of an Israeli soldier and turned into an informant by the Israeli Military. Omar himself is a young bread maker with few expectations from life. He clings to the hope that he may someday marry his love, Nadia. A seemingly simple romance is complicated because the lovers live on occupied land and later by Omar's forced betrayal of his people. Omar was hardly the film I expected to wind down with, however the movie pulls you in with its brutally honest narrative. We watch a young man in the prime of life, who has nothing to his name, be robbed of his freedom and hope on the accusation that he is a terrorist.

Furthermore, the film itself has met ample critical praise. This is director Hany Abu-Assad's second Oscar

nominated film. Additionally, Omar was screened at both the 2013 Toronto International Film and 2013 Cannes Film Festivals, even winning the Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard section at the latter. The film was among the top five entries to be selected as the official Palestinian Entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 86th Academy Awards.

Lastly, the film was showcased at the United Nations in New York on May 1st, 2014

Omar’s struggle is real. Through the story of one man, Hany Abu-Assad shares the despair, anger, and grief of a whole nation of people. The complicated demeanor and actions of the main character, Omar, towards the occupiers impart the depth and brevity of the actual struggle. Omar is neither innocent not guilty. He witnessed the murder of an Israeli soldier and does nothing. However, his subsequent torture and treatment hardly seems deserving. Ultimately, the final verdict is left to the audience. Gripping and hypnotizing, Omar pulls the audience in and tugs at the strings of their heart.

Check out the trailer!

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