When Kuwaiti filmmaker Walid Al Awadi decided to tackle extremism in his feature-length drama Tora Bora, he expected some opposition. In fact, his work was met with the warmest of welcomes.
Hailed as Kuwait's sleeper hit, Tora Bora — a turbulent tale about parents who embark on a mission to war-torn Afghanistan after they lose their son to extremists — ran to packed houses in his home country's theatres for more than 10 weeks.
"It was unbelievable, the reactions to my film. Even my mother who's around 70 years old made her way to the theatre in Kuwait," said Al Awadi in an interview with tabloid!.
The honour has just doubled. His drama has been picked to launch the fifth edition of the Gulf Film Festival today.
"I am incredibly excited about showcasing my film in this part of the world. My roots belong here. My film goes to show what's happening around the Arab world and the Arab spring. Although the story is set in Afghanistan, I want to show that we as Muslims in any part of the world are against any kind of extremism," said Al Awadi, who had earlier showcased Tora Bora, starring Kuwaiti actor Sa'ad Al Faraj, at the Cannes Film Market.
Though he translated his beliefs well on the big screen, he made sure that he kept the politics of religion out of the frame. "I went with the idea of keeping it a family story by showing the hijack of religion and the emotions that run through a family when they lose their member to an extremist group. Those were the key factors that pushed me to make this feature," he said.
No stranger to the film festival circuit, Al Awadi is confident that his film will go a long way in changing the global perspective on Arabs.
"We Arabs are family-oriented people. But a group of extremists have taken over our religion and in that name of religion everybody is made to look bad. I want to bring forth the message that real Islam is all about fighting for peace and not extremism."
Don't miss it
Tora Bora screens tonight at the Gulf Film Festival at 8.30pm at Dubai Festival City Grand Cinema 1; on Thursday at 8pm at Abu Dhabi Theatre; Friday at 6pm at Dubai Festival City Grand Cinema 4.
