Captains of Zaatari

Director/Producer: Ali El Arabi 
Year: 2021 
Duration: 83’ 
Country: Egypt 
Language: Arabic 
Category: Around the World in 9 Films 
Category: Sponsor RNZ
Topics: Family, Society, Sports

In a refugee camp in Jordan, football offers hope to two young boys.

Two best friends Mahmoud and Fawzi, living in the Zaatari Refugee Camp in Jordan, share an undying dream of becoming professional soccer players.  Despite being confined under dire conditions, they remain hopeful and practice day in and day out.  
 
When a world-renowned sports academy visits, both have a chance to make this dream come true.  Director Arabi tells a moving tale of two Syrian teenagers with a deep love for soccer and what their hopes and dreams can mean with a future of bleak limited options. This is sensitively told with stunning cinematic artistry and precision, honouring the lives portrayed with authenticity and respect. 

El Arabi’s debut is ultimately rousing through its fluid, casual specificity, tracing a beautiful friendship that pledges to defy the odds. 
Tomris Laffly, Variety Magazine