Though I Know the River Is Dry
Fall Grant 2012 - Post-Production Stage
Omar Hamilton / Short Narrative / Egypt, Palestine, United Kingdom, Qatar / 2013 / 19 min / Colour and B&W / Original Language: Arabic / Interests: Drama, Politics, Family
Synopsis
Alaa has just returned to Palestine after years spent in Detroit. Following the Arab uprisings, he feels a sense of responsibility to his country. We meet Alaa on his return and take the journey with him to see his last surviving uncle. On the difficult road there, Alaa relives the choice that sent him to America – a passport for his unborn child or a safe haven for his activist brother – and the new realities that are pulling him home.
Credits
- Director
- Omar Hamilton
- Screenwriter
- Omar Hamilton
- Producer
- Louis Lewarne
About the Director
Omar Hamilton is an independent filmmaker, the producer of the Palestine Festival of Literature, and a founding member of the Mosireen Collective in Cairo. Since 2011, he has made several short documentaries about the Egyptian Revolution, helping make Mosireen the most watched non-profit YouTube channel of all time in Egypt. His previous films have played at various international festivals, including Rotterdam, Dubai, Rushes and Detmold. Hamilton’s films have appeared on Al Jazeera, ON TV and Tahrir TV; his articles in ‘The Guardian’, ‘The Big Issue’ and on the BBC; and his photographs in ‘The Guardian’, ‘The Economist’ and ‘Al Shorouq’.
Awards and Festival History
Festivals
International Film Festival of Rotterdam 2013
Dubai International Film Festival / 2013 / Cinetech
European Film Awards 2013, International Film Festival of Rotterdam (The Netherlands)
Woen Best Film from the Arab world award in the Short Film Competition Section 2013, Abu Dhabi International Film Festival (UAE)
Prix UIP Rotterdam (European Short Fil