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A Stray
35th MSPIFF AWARD WINNER, BEST MN MADE NARRATIVE FEATURE
In the microcosm of Minneapolis’ large Somali community, Adan has run out of options. Looking to turn his life around, he finds solace, friendship and a job as a janitor at the mosque. Finding an even better job at a restaurant delivering food, Adan unexpectedly finds a new friend in a stray dog. But the mosque sees the dog as impure, and Adan finds himself on the streets again. Director Musa Syeed brings the streets of Riverside and the struggles of young Somalis to the big screen in this vivid and moving drama.
Press
"Abdirahman brings Adan to life with a magnetic camera presence and the rare gift of performing without seeming to act." - Star Tribune
"Crisply shot and edited pic captures a side of the Twin Cities many locals might not recognize" - Variety
”The film is a marvel.” - Hammer to Nail
”In a world overflowing with indie films, A Stray is utterly unique... [It] will stay with you for many months to come.” - Substream Magazine
Director Biography
 Syeed’s first narrative feature Valley of Saints won the World Cinema Audience Award at Sundance and was a New York Times Critics Pick. The result of an immersive research process similar to A STRAY, the film was shot during a military curfew in Kashmir, employing a community of boat people as cast and crew. His previous documentaries, produced with our cinematographer Yoni Brook, include Bronx Princess (Berlinale, POV) and A Son’s Sacrifice (Tribeca Best Short Doc, Independent Lens). These films honed his process for engaging underrepresented communities around film.
As an advocate and activist for Muslim communities, Syeed has bolstered his film work with public presentations, community workshops, and interactive projects. He was a co-creator of #30Days Ramadan, a global interactive platform funded by ITVS. Syeed serves as Artistic Director of Muslim Youth Voices, a multiyear initiative to empower youth to create short films for public broadcast. Last summer, Syeed took the program to Minneapolis to work with Somali youth.
Cast
 Minneapolis resident and Somali American Barkhad Abdirahman has been cast in the lead role. Barkhad was discovered by Hollywood casting agents working on the major studio film Captain Phillips. Chosen from nearly a thousand young Somali men, Barkhad won the role despite not having previous acting credits. Acting opposite Oscar-winner Tom Hanks, Barkhad plays a rookie Somali pirate, his performance giving nuance and warmth to a young man on the edge. As a young refugee navigating a new life in America, he experienced episodes of homelessness and lived on the streets, similar to our protagonist Adan. Barkhad brings his personal experience to his leading role in A Stray.
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