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Captains of Za'atari

Play trailer Poster for Captains of Za'atari 2021 1h 13m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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90% Tomatometer 21 Reviews Popcornmeter 0 Ratings
Having fled the war in Syria, best friends Mahmoud and Fawzi live in Za'atari refugee camp in Jordan. Like many boys their age they dream of becoming professional football players. Having no real facilities or means for training they play persistently in the hope that one day their dream may come to life.

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Captains of Za'atari

Critics Reviews

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Phuong Le Guardian 11/29/2021
4/5
With tender compassion, the film offers gently nuanced insight into the lives of Syrian refugees. Go to Full Review Josh Flanders Chicago Reader 02/20/2021
Director Ali El Arabi crafts a film of deep humanity, providing an exposé of the struggles and tragedies of refugee life. Go to Full Review Alissa Wilkinson Vox 02/10/2021
Mahmoud proclaims that refugees don't need pity; they need opportunities. And that message resonates throughout the film. Go to Full Review Jason Flatt But Why Tho? 01/16/2023
7/10
Captains of Za’atari is not the documentary you think it is necessarily, but its true message is perhaps more stirring and important than the soccer of it all ever was. Go to Full Review Jay Weissberg The Film Verdict 02/26/2022
Apart from Mahmoud Bashirs dreamily fluid camerawork, Captains is less than master of its material. Too much of it feels staged, as if the boys have been fed their lines, and the workmanlike editing doesnt build to the expected level of excitement. Go to Full Review Carson Timar Clapper 02/22/2022
This is a powerful film full of life and aspirations that speak to a deep and authentic soul of the human experience. Everyone wants to dream and the film captures this in a stunning sense. Go to Full Review Read all reviews
Captains of Za'atari

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Cast & Crew

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Ali El Arabi

Director

Ibrahim Elhefnawy

Self

Ali El Arabi

Producer

Mahmoud Bashir

Cinematographer

Simon El Habre

Film Editing

Alaa Eldin El Dajani

Film Editing

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Captains of Za'atari

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Movie Info

Synopsis Having fled the war in Syria, best friends Mahmoud and Fawzi live in Za'atari refugee camp in Jordan. Like many boys their age they dream of becoming professional football players. Having no real facilities or means for training they play persistently in the hope that one day their dream may come to life.
Director
Ali El Arabi
Producer
Ali El Arabi
Distributor
Utopia
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
Arabic
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 19, 2021, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 19, 2021
Runtime
1h 13m
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