Yusif, who is half-Danish, half Arab, travels to the Middle Eastern city of Medina along with his pregnant Danish wife, Sarah. Yusif wants to start a new life with his wife in his father’s hometown. He is convinced that this is where he belongs and happiness lies ahead. However, shortly after their arrival, Yusif is unintentionally responsible for a beggar boy’s death. The people of the street beat up Sarah and Yusif. She miscarries. He is put in prison for murder. The only thing that keeps Yusif’s spirit up in the Arab prison is the thought of seeing Sarah again and his faith in God. However, when he realises that he has to sit in a prison hole for the rest of his life, he loses his patience, faith and hope. All that is left is anger towards the Creator he used to love.
| Original title | Al Medina |
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| Danish title | Al Medina |
| Director | Omar Shargawi |
| Screenplay | Omar Shargawi |
| Producer | René Ezra, Tomas Radoor, Rula Nasser, Zire Schucany |
| Director of Photography | Aske Alexander Foss |
| Editor | Morten Højbjerg, Thomas Papapetros, Omar Shargawi |
| Sound | Mikkel Groos |
| Composer | Anders Christensen, Rune Funch |
| Production designer | Thomas Bremer |
| Casting | Lara Atallah |
| Appearance | Omar Shargawi, Ashraf Farah, Ghazal, Sara Hjort Ditlevsen |
| Production country | Denmark, Jordan |
| Domestic distribution | Nordisk Film Distribution A/S |
| International sales | Nordisk Film A/S |
| Danish theatrical release | 19.05.2016 |
| Cinemas |
Grand Teatret - København Øst for Paradis - Aarhus Biffen Aalborg - Aalborg Café Biografen - Odense Nicolai Bio og Café - Kolding |
| Comment | Al Medina is Omar Shargawi’s second feature fiction film, after his debut Go with Peace Jamil (2008), winner of the VPRO Tiger Award in Rotterdam. He is also behind the two documentaries My Father from Haifa (2009), awarded at Dubai Film Festival, and ½ Revolution (2011), selected for Sundance. |
| DFI subsidy | Konsulentstøtte |
| Danish rating | Allowed for children over the age of 15 |
Companies |
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| Production company | |
| Executive Producer | Nordisk Film Production |
| Co-production | Dubai Market – ENJAZZ |
| With support from | Det Danske Filminstitut, The Arab Fund for Arts & Culture |
| In collaboration with | Danmarks Radio, The Imaginarium Films |
| Domestic distribution | Nordisk Film Distribution A/S |
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Direction |
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| Direction | Omar Shargawi |
| Casting | Lara Atallah |
| Casting supervisor | Alaadin Khasawneh |
| Casting coordinator | Sara Soudani |
| Extras coordinator | Rafique al Rihawi |
| 1st assistant director | Yanal Kassay |
| 2nd assistant director | Tareq Afifi |
| 3rd assistant director | Mohamad Kloub |
| Translator | Helle Schou Kristiansen |
| Translator | Dima Hamdalla |
| Translator | Hassan El Sayed |
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Script |
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| Screenplay | Omar Shargawi |
| Script consultant | Mogens Rukov |
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Production |
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| Producer | René Ezra |
| Producer | Tomas Radoor |
| Producer | Rula Nasser |
| Line producer | Maj-Britt Paulmann Dalsgaard |
| Line producer: Jordan | Rula Al Nasser |
| Production manager | Sune Lolk |
| Executive producer | Henrik Zein |
| Executive producer | Lena Haugaard |
| Unit production manager | Jamal al Adwan |
| Location manager | Saeb Abul Ragheb |
| Production coordinator | Azza Hourani |
| Unit manager | Yasmeen Abu Newar |
| Production assistant | Hayat el Samadi |
| Assistant location manager | Omar Nusirat |
| Post-producton coordinator | Morten Sylvest Arnoldus |
| Producer | Zire Schucany |
| Producer's assistant | Matilda Appelin |
| Producer's assistant | Lea Lykke |
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Cinematography |
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| Director of Photography | Aske Alexander Foss |
| First assistant camera | Said Najmi |
| 2nd assistant camera | Hashim al Abdali |
| Dailies | Yousef Abdel Nabi |
| DIT | Shahnaz Dulaimy |
| Dailies | Toleen Touq |
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Electrical dept. |
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| Gaffer | Ezz Isleem |
| Best boy | Dani Ameer |
| Best boy | Ahmad Akeel |
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Editing |
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| Editor | Morten Højbjerg |
| Editor | Thomas Papapetros |
| Editor | Omar Shargawi |
| Editing supervisor | Anders Refn |
| Avid supervisor | Liv Lynge |
| Assistant editor | Jesper Bækdal |
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Music |
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| Composer | Anders Christensen |
| Composer | Rune Funch |
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Production design |
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| Production designer | Thomas Bremer |
| Art director | Nasser Zoubi |
| Creative consultant | Mahmoud al Massad |
| Creative consultant | Daro Daro |
| Creative consultant | Boris De Freitas |
| Property master | Anas Balawi |
| Set decorator | Taha Radaydeh |
| Set decorator | Ibrahim Dawood |
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Wardrobe |
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| Key costumer | Phaedra Dahdaleh |
| Wardrobe assistant | Abdel "Abdo" Fattah |
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Makeup |
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| Hair and makeup designer | Farah Jadaan |
| Assistant hair and makeup artist | Bill Hazam |
| Wigs | Ala Mazrawi |
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Sound |
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| Sound recordist | Francisco "Kiko" Fernandez |
| A-sound engineer: post-production | Oskar Skriver |
| Sound designer | Mikkel Groos |
| Recording engineer | Fransisco Frenandiz |
| Boom operator | Mohamad Reda |
| Boom operator | Fadi Shehadeh |
| Sound design assistant | Andreas Maxim |
| Foley artist | Torben Greve |
| Foley recordist | Nalle Hansen |
| Foley editor | Lars Rasmussen |
| Recording engineer | Hussam Sabankh |
| Recording engineer | Kasper Rasmussen |
| Additional dialogue editor | Jacques Pedersen |
| Sound effect editor | Roar Skau Olsen |
| Sound technician | Fares Al Were |
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Special effects |
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| SFX | Al Sahem |
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Visual effects |
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| Online | Daði Jónsson |
| Grading | Anders Bloch Rose |
| VFX supervisor | Thomas Øhlenschlæger |
| Compositing | Michael Holm |
| Compositing | Dann Sandgreen |
| Compositing | Dan Dirckinck-Holmfeld |
| Graphic design | Lasse Strøm |
| DCP mastering | Thomas Caspersen |
| DCP mastering | Thomas Schlein |
| DCP mastering | Jens Lilledal Sørensen |
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Stunt |
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| Stunt coordinator | Jude Poyer |
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Appearance |
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| Yusif | Omar Shargawi |
| Dr. Rami | Ashraf Farah |
| Nour | Ghazal |
| Sarah | Sara Hjort Ditlevsen |
| Faderen | Hassan Shaer |
| Moderen | Nadera Omran |
| Aya | Majida Al Bashayreh |
| Jødisk rabbi | Makram Khoury |
| Abu Ali | Ali Elayan |
| Karima | Siham Al Kurdi |
| Forhørsleder | Ahmed Omari |
| Basima | Ghazia Fares |
| Taxachauffør | Hazim Elyaan |
| Skrædder | Akram Musa Saleh |
| Jødisk barber | Yacoub Najjar |
| Mand i moské | Turk Barmawi |
| Tiggerdreng | Mohamad Nayef |
| Grædende dreng | Sobhi al Bashayreh |
| Barn i lejr | Ibrahim Bashayreh |
| Dreng med ar | Taha Firas |
| Bedstemoderen | Youssra Issa |
| Abu Alis hustru | Menwer al Jarah |
| Beduin | Hamo Qasem |
| Beduin | Eid al Soyjeen |
| Beduin | Fayez Hweitat |
| Beduin | Hussein Salameh al Sweilhiyeen |
| Voldtægtsmand | Talaat Saleem |
| Råbende mand | Rabi Bandora |
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Reviews and articles
On the library you can find these articles and revies and other material about the film.
| Type | Source | Author | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Varia | Morgenavisen Jyllandsposten | Enggaard, Michael | 2017-01-24 |
| Artikel | Berlingske Tidende | Almbjerg, Sarah Iben | 2016-12-22 |
| Interview | Weekendavisen | Fejerskov, Johan Moe | 2016-05-20 |
| Anmeldelse | BT | Lind Michael | 2016-05-19 |
| Anmeldelse | Berlingske Tidende | Krogsgaard Christensen, Jeppe | 2016-05-19 |
| Interview | Berlingske Tidende | Lauritzen, Kirstine Benedicta | 2016-05-19 |
| Anmeldelse | Ekstra Bladet | Queitsch, Henrik | 2016-05-19 |
| Anmeldelse | Morgenavisen Jyllandsposten | Sommer Boysen, Katrine | 2016-05-19 |
| Anmeldelse | Politiken-Fonden | Vinterberg, Søren | 2016-05-19 |
| Interview | Politiken-Fonden | Sheikh, Jakob | 2016-05-12 |
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