Emirati filmmaker Ali Mustafa’s road trip film, From A to B (From Abu Dhabi to Beirut), will have its cinematic release across the Middle East, including the UAE, on January 1, Image Nation representatives have confirmed.
The film follows three friends, Ramy (Shadi Al Fons from Egypt), Yousef (Fahad Al Butairi from Saudi Arabia) and Omar (Fadi Rifaai from Syria), who grew up in Abu Dhabi and lost touch after their best friend, Hady, died in air raids over Beirut. The three reconnect after five years and decide to face the demons of the past by going on a belated road trip to Lebanon to honour Hady and visit his grave, six days before Hady’s birthday.
Their trip takes them through Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Syria, and involves a mixture of hilarious mishappenings and eye-opening tragedies, as well as a few noteworthy secondary characters along the way. It shines in its ability to give a nuanced view of Arab youth, especially expats who are largely westernised but still connect to their roots.
“We will compete with Hollywood and Bollywood, God willing,” Mustafa said at the opening night ceremony of Abu Dhabi Film Festival, where From A to B saw its world premiere.
The team behind the film urged viewers to spread the word about the film amongst their friends, and to encourage them to watch it when it hits theatres at the top of 2015.
