While I’ve become an avid proponent of how time is a construct with our lives tied to lockdown and curfew hours, it really does feel like yesterday when I sat down with local film director, screenwriter, and producer Hamad AlSarraf and he told me about his debut into the world of filmmaking. I was stunned when I opened up my notes and reflected on his first screenwriting and directorial foray with his short film Viktor back in 2015, and his passion for photography and writing long before that. Fast forward to May 2020, and he tells me that I can stream his first full feature film In Paradox on Netflix.
I love it when local creatives continue to push the envelope to take their talents to new heights. For Hamad AlSarraf, the journey was just beginning with Viktor. While he first wrote the script for Viktor based on a previous scriptwriting experience, he has since attended film directing workshops in London Film Academy and has taken several classes with Hollywood’s premier screenwriting instructor and consultant, John Truby. In Paradox came to life after three and half years of work, working with several consultants like Truby, Judith Weston, a well-known director’s consultant, and Hassan Hassan-Doost, an editor from Iran who has worked on many award-winning films by Abbas Kiarostami, Majid Majidi, and Ali Hatemi.
In Paradox (2019) is a thriller that follows lead actor Faisal AlAmeeri as he is on the run from dangerous assailants while trying to make sense of strange memories and apparitions before they destroy both his sanity and in turn, his life. This film will take you on a dark, twisted, and ominous journey. You can check out the trailer here:
In Paradox has been considered for the Golden Globe Awards- Foreign Film Category, and has received a special mention from the Casablanca Arab Film Festival jury, a huge honor for this local effort! The film is gorgeously shot, successfully reflecting its exotic set locations in Iran such as the lush summer house previously home to the Shah’s mother, as well as the historical city of Yazd, a renowned UN Heritage city that dates back to the fifth century.
The film’s cast presents us with a vibrant mix of actors from all over the Arab world, a beautiful collaborative effort bringing together Faisal AlAmeeri and Jassem AlNabhan from Kuwait, Fayez Kazak, Jafra Younes, Samer Ismael, from Syria as well as Ghanem Zrelli, from Tunisia, amongst many other stars.
So whatever you’re doing today, this weekend, tomorrow, well it doesn’t really matter since time is a construct anyway, right? Just make sure you chill out and tune in for a thrilling experience with In Paradox on Netflix!
This is the Debut feature film for Hamad AlSarraf. For more details about In Paradox, check out the film’s page on IMDB and follow Hamad AlSarraf on Instagram for his latest updates.
