CAPTAINS OF ZA’ATARI

Runtime: 70'

Expected release: May 2021

Budget: $1,111,598 (90% in place)

1st feature: 1st feature

Looking for: Sales agent

Synopsis: 

Syrian teenagers Mahmoud and Fawzi are two friends living in a refugee camp in Jordan. Like many young boys in the camp, they dream of becoming professional soccer players while facing the difficult reality of their lives. When a world renowned sports academy visits the camp, both have a chance to make this dream come true.

Director’s profile: 

Ali El-Arabi is a documentary director and producer based in Cairo. He got his start as a producer and director at Dream TV (Egypt) where he worked on various documentaries such as Witness and Martyr, Dreaming of a Constitution and 6th of April Youth Movement. In addition he trained reporters on how to shoot news pieces. He went on to produce documentaries for ZDF, Stern TV Germany, and National Geographic in the MENA region. In 2015 El-Arabi set up Ambient Light, a Cairo-based production company where he focuses on various topics relevant to the MENA region such as refugee displacement and women and children’s rights. El-Arabi holds a bachelor’s degree in Integrated Marketing and Communications from Mansoura University. Captains of Za’atari is his first documentary feature film.