SACRIFICES
Original Title: Sundukal Dunyâ
Syria, 2002
Director: Oussama Mohammad
A tree, a house, emptiness and isolation. The head of the family, an old man, is on the point of dying. He would like to give his name to his newborn grandsons but he does not recognise any of them before he dies.
Three cousins without names live in this primitive world, seeking pleasure and salvation, the first in restraint and submission, the second in love and the third in violence and cruelty. The father of the second, back from war, gives the third the keys to a stronger power.The tree, witness to a thousand years of life, contemplates what will happen in 2000 years.
Screenplay:
Oussama Mohammad
Cinematography:
Elso Roque A.I.P.
Editing:
Martine Barraqué
Music:
Marcel Khalife
Principal cast:
Rafiq Sbeil, Maha Al Saleh, Nihal Al Khatib, Amal Omrane, Mirna Ghannam, Moustfa Alsoubh, Mohammad Hamad, Elyasse Ghannam
Production: National Film Organisation, Syria & AMIP / 35mm / colour / 112 mins
Director's bio-note:
Oussama Mohammad was born in 1954 in Lattaquie, Syria. He studied at VGIK in Moscow. His first film, The Stars of the Day (1988), was shown at Cannes and at various international film festivals.
It won an award in Valence but was banned in Syria. His second film, The Night, was made in 1992. His films always take the form of allegories that are set against the background of difficult family relationships.