Diff 2015” ‘Bilal’: Telling an old story for a new generation

The two actors who play Bilal Ibn Rabah in an ambitious new animation film didn’t know who he was before they were approached for the role. That, say its director and producer, was one of the many reasons why Bilal had to be made.

“We wanted to inspire young people with stories about true heroes. It’s a story we’ve grown up as kids with and it’s a story about strength, courage and equality,” said Ayman Jamal, the writer and producer. “It’s an international story and an important one for humanity at large.”

Ibn Rabah, considered the first muezzin, was one of the Prophet’s (PBUH) most loyal companions.

British actor Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, known for his roles in The Mummy Returns and TV shows Lost and Game of Thrones, plays Al Rabah in the expansive epic that begins with his abduction, being sold into slavery and his eventual freedom as an adult.

“Now I am a wise man,” Akinnuoye-Agbaje said at a press conference to promote the film at the Dubai International Film Festival (Diff) on December 10, ahead of its gala screening. “I was first attracted by the amazing technology that went into the project. But once we started work on it, we began to learn about the historical and cultural significance of the man and it was an amazing learning experience.”

American singer Jacob Latimore plays a younger Ibn Rabah in the film.

“We just dived into the role and were completely immersed and inspired by what he represented — courage, strength, bravery and heroism. It’s exciting to be able to present that to the world.”

British actor Ian McShane voices Umayya, a powerful merchant who enslaves Bilal and his sister.

Director Khurram Alavi said the animated film is targeted at young adults. “We are looking at the PG13 audience, youngsters who are into gaming and Lord of the Rings. Also we want it to appeal to a bigger audience”

Alavi and producer Jamal said they set up their company Barajoun Entertainment to facilitate production of Bilal.

“When we set out to make this film, we couldn’t find an animation company anywhere to do it for us. So we had to create our own,” he said, adding that Bilal took more than three years and around 360 animators to make.

It will be dubbed in Arabic and other languages before its cinematic release.

“We have so many stories to tell here. And now, with Bilal, we can now say we can also compete with international studios in content and technology,” said Jamal.