A New Day in Old Sana'a

Infobox Film
name = A New Day in Old Sana'a


image size = 260px
caption =
director = Bader Ben Hirsi
producer = Ahmed Abdali
writer = Hirsi
narrator =
starring =
music =
cinematography = Muriel Aboulrouss
editing = Andrew Lloyd
distributor = Felix Films Entertainment Limited
released = 2005
runtime = 86 min.
country = Yemen
language = English and Arabic
budget =
website =
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0478213

"A New Day in Old Sana'a" is a 2005 romantic drama film directed by Bader Ben Hirsi, a British playwright and director of Yemeni ancestry, and produced by Ahmed Abdali. It was shot in San‘a’, the capital of Yemen, and was the first Yemeni film to be shown at the Cannes Film Festival.cite news | title = New Day in Old Sana'a, A | work = www.arabfilm.com| publisher = Arab Film Distribution | date = 2003-09-29| url = http://www.arabfilm.com/item/415/| accessdate = 2006-11-12 ] The running time of the film was 86 minutes, and versions were released in English language and Arabic (with English subtitles).

In addition to Cannes, the film was screened at the Cairo International Film Festival; after its showing in Cairo, Hirsi received a prize of 100,000 pounds from the Egyptian Ministry of Culture.cite news | title = Finland's "Mother of Mine" steals show at Cairo film festival| work = english.people.com.cn| publisher = People's Daily | date = 2005-12-10| url = http://english.people.com.cn/200512/10/eng20051210_227044.html | accessdate = 2006-11-12 ]

Plot summary

The film is shown through the eyes of Federico, a photographer from Italy.cite web |url= http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117929170.html?categoryid=31&cs=1&p=0/|title= A New Day in Old Sana'a|accessdate=2007-01-11 |last= Young |first= Deborah |date= 2005-12-25|work= www.variety.com|publisher= Reeds Elsevier Inc] Tariq (a friend of Federico) is scheduled to marry Bilquis, the daughter of a rich judge. However, while out in the city one night, he catches sight of a women he believes to be Bilquis, and falls in love with her. The woman turns out to be a henna artist named Ines, and Tariq ends up having to choose between the two. The film ends with a shot of a dhinni, played by Hirsi himself.cite web | last = Chartrand| first = Harvey| title = Bader Ben Hirsi: Magic Realism in Old Sana'a | work = www.greencine.com| publisher = GreenCine LLC | date = 2006-09-29| url = http://www.greencine.com/article?action=view&articleID=337 |accessdate = 2006-12-12]

Cast and crew

References

External links

* [http://www.britfilms.com/britishfilms/catalogue/browse/?id=D48B3FDA0ef792C3FFgYr2B6FEE8 British Films Catalogue review of the film]
* [http://www.felixfilmsent.com The production company's website]
* [http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117957348.html?categoryid=1445&cs=1 Variety's interview with the director]