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Bilal

Special Screening

Synopsis

In a dreamlike vision, mysterious dark riders mounted on demonic black horses bear down upon a village. Nearby, little Bilal dreams of being a great warrior as he gallops along on his hobbyhorse. The riders come closer – are they real? Or are they just a figment of the youngster’s extraordinary imagination?

Suddenly, Bilal’s dream becomes a nightmare. The men on horseback kill his mother and take him captive along with Ghufaira, his sister, and they are soon sold as slaves to Umayya, the wealthiest merchant in all of Arabia. Bilal never forgets this terrible day, which haunts his sleep for years to come. But the echoes of his mother’s gentle voice stay with him, a constant reminder that to break free of the chains that enslave him, he must be resolute in determining his own destiny.

Four years in the making and involving creative talents from 22 countries, ‘Bilal’ is the first animated feature from Dubai-based Barajoun Studios. Combining a wonderful script inspired by the story of Bilal bin Rabah, impeccable research and breathtaking animation technology, this inspiring story of faith, hope and self-discovery is sure to echo for generations to come.

About the Directors

Khurram H. Alavi spent the last two years working with Barajoun Entertainment to adapt the inspiring story of 'Bilal'. In addition to his scriptwriting and directing abilities, Khurram is also a digital sculptor and character artist, and has designed products for Marvel, Disney, Warner Bros., Sega and SONY.

Credits

Director

Ayman Jamal, Khurram H. Alavi

Screenwriter

Khurram Alavi, Alex Kronemer, Michael Wolfe, Yassin Kamel

Producer

Ayman Jamal

Editor

Patricia Heneine

Executive Producer

Arif Jilani

Music

Atli Örvarsson

Cinematographer

Ajdin Durakovic, Nareg Kalenderian

Production Company

Barajoun Studios

Distributor

Gulf Film LLC

Cast

Ian Mcshane, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Andre Robinson, Jacob Latimore, Cynthia Kaye McWilliams, China Anne McClain

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