This year, AFMI is proud to showcase a collection of work by talented Arab directors, writers, producers and actors based in the Bay Area and Los Angeles.
Setup in San Francisco, following the 2011 Arab Spring that left Egypt in political unrest. Simsim—a young Egyptian immigrant with a wooingly contagious laugh seeks asylum in the United States. Out of fear of the outcome of the revolution, he escapes to San Francisco leaving behind his aging mother. Like a fish out of water Simsim seeks guidance from his greedy lawyer Dale. At a mature age, Dale never loses touch with his redneck persona and never gives a damn about his clients, but he’s affordable. He tolerates Simsim, because he pays in cash.
Simsim believes that his immigration hearing in a week is the only barrier before he eases into a new tranquil and prosperous life. And so he catches a public-transit bus to see Dale for a final prep meeting, but soon he realizes that there’s more in store for him, when he encounters the enigmatic absurdity of this surreal version of the American Dream.
About the filmmaker:
Amir is an Egyptian filmmaker based in San Francisco. He strives to create unconventional stories that can echo unheard voices, while drawing inspiration from the extremely rich culture of his native Egypt. Amir's directorial debut film 'The Initiation' won multiple awards at film festivals locally in the United States and internationally, including Best Narrative Short Film at the 2020 Oakland International Film Festival and Best Director at the 2020 Oregon Short Film Festival.
- Year2022
- Runtime16 minutes
- LanguageEnglish, Arabic
- CountryUnited States
- DirectorAmir Youssef
- ScreenwriterAmir Youssef
- ProducerArthur Gallery, Amir Youssef
- CastPegasus Ghobrial, Gareth Williams, Carlos Diego Mendoza, Allsion Dean
- Production DesignNell Henderson
- MusicClarissa Bitar
This year, AFMI is proud to showcase a collection of work by talented Arab directors, writers, producers and actors based in the Bay Area and Los Angeles.
Setup in San Francisco, following the 2011 Arab Spring that left Egypt in political unrest. Simsim—a young Egyptian immigrant with a wooingly contagious laugh seeks asylum in the United States. Out of fear of the outcome of the revolution, he escapes to San Francisco leaving behind his aging mother. Like a fish out of water Simsim seeks guidance from his greedy lawyer Dale. At a mature age, Dale never loses touch with his redneck persona and never gives a damn about his clients, but he’s affordable. He tolerates Simsim, because he pays in cash.
Simsim believes that his immigration hearing in a week is the only barrier before he eases into a new tranquil and prosperous life. And so he catches a public-transit bus to see Dale for a final prep meeting, but soon he realizes that there’s more in store for him, when he encounters the enigmatic absurdity of this surreal version of the American Dream.
About the filmmaker:
Amir is an Egyptian filmmaker based in San Francisco. He strives to create unconventional stories that can echo unheard voices, while drawing inspiration from the extremely rich culture of his native Egypt. Amir's directorial debut film 'The Initiation' won multiple awards at film festivals locally in the United States and internationally, including Best Narrative Short Film at the 2020 Oakland International Film Festival and Best Director at the 2020 Oregon Short Film Festival.
- Year2022
- Runtime16 minutes
- LanguageEnglish, Arabic
- CountryUnited States
- DirectorAmir Youssef
- ScreenwriterAmir Youssef
- ProducerArthur Gallery, Amir Youssef
- CastPegasus Ghobrial, Gareth Williams, Carlos Diego Mendoza, Allsion Dean
- Production DesignNell Henderson
- MusicClarissa Bitar