Kurdish brothers Wrya and Dana Ahmed bring warmth and spontaneous charm to this unlikely road movie. Alan runs a teahouse in their village and dreams of marrying the lovely Gona. But Gona's father -- a huge fan of soccer team Real Madrid -- does not approve since Alan and his brother are both little people. Determined to win over the taciturn old man, Alan enlists his brother Shirwan in a crazy plan: together they will drive to Madrid and deliver a pair of handmade Kurdish shoes to Real Madrid's superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. With fine camerawork and a mournful score, Iraqi-Norwegian filmmaker Mustafa has crafted a visually striking road trip. As they navigate city traffic or observe, with foreboding, the shells of abandoned cars in bleak stretches of desert, Shirwan and Alan are small against an indifferent world. But they’re also strong and resilient in a way that’s entirely their own. Iraq’s official submission to the 89th Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
Director’s Biography
Halkawt Mustafa: Halkawt Mustafa was born in 1985 in Sulaymani, Kurdistan. He moved to Norway with his family in 2000 and is a Norwegian citizen. He received aneducation at the Nordic Institute of Stage and Studio. His debut feature, Red Heart, appeared at MSPIFF2012.
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