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Eidiah
TYPE: Narrative Feature
GENRE: Drama
STATUS: Pre-Production
LOGLINE
On the first day of Eid, a self boy learns to think about more than just himself... The hard way!
SYNOPSIS
It’s Eid 1995 Mafouz a Naïve and selfish boy, is shown the bike of his dreams by his best friend Othman, an all-chrome BMX bike that was ridden by Bmx Superstar Mat Hoffman. Othman and Mafouz have a bet whoever can collect the most Eidiah and buys this bike first wins.
Mahfouz & Othman collect the money together, but Othman decides that they should split up after Mafouz steals bread in the line at the bakery. Mahfouz collects more money than he has ever had All the while avoiding Moneer the neighborhood low life. Mahfouz reaches the bike shop just in time to see Othman ride away on the bike. Angry, Mahfouz walks home and sees the bike outside of a cafe and then steals it.
Mahfouz rides the bike all over town he plays, does tricks, as Mafaouz walks home he is caught by Moneer and his gang who steal the bike. As Mahfouz walks home bruised and beaten he sees Othman crying. Othman tells them that his bike been stolen, Mafouz offers to help Othman find the bike. Othman realizing what happened fights Mafouz and then tells him he never wants to see him again.
Mahfouz arrives home and starts to cry and tells his sister Manar about what happened with Othman. Manar tells Mafouz that he has to make things right with Othman and he has to get the bike by himself. Mahfouz goes to confronts Moneer. Who beats Mafouz over and over again but Mafouz is determined and won’t give up, As he is taking another beating. Manar arrives to help Mafouz fight the bully. Mahfouz gets the bike back and takes it to Othman. Othman and Mafouz are friends once more.
ARTISTIC STATEMENT
Every year millions of Muslim children around the world celebrate Eid. From America to Japan. Each country may be a little different, different languages, differing foods but all the same events. Eid is the celebration of the end of Ramadan The Islamic holy month. They are one and half billion Eid stories this is one.
Eidiah is a children’s movie in the same vein as the sandlot and Christmas story. It’s a story when a young boy learns to come to an age where he has to learn to stop being selfish and start thinking of others and the effects that his actions have on other people. Because Growing up isn’t something that a child does all at once it starts to happen little by little.
Growing up I used to watch Holiday movies I connected with them. However, being Muslim I never really saw movies about my experience and me during the holidays. None of our traditions or culture was every reflected on the screen do to us being a minority. We were largely overlooked even though Muslims have been in the U.S. for hundred a couple of hundred years. My partner Muhmmad and I want to create something that little Muslim boy and little Muslim girls can look at and connect with no matter where they are, and also give other children a peek into a part of our culture in a way everyone can understand.
As Much as Eidiah is about more than collecting money to buy a bike it’s about family and the family you are born into as well as the family that you choose.
KEY CREW
Muhmmad Sultan - Writer
Muhammad was born in Westland Michigan. his Mother being an actress, Muhammad grew up in the theater from a very young age and at 18 wrote and directed his first short film. Muhammad in the years following went to New York Film Academy were he received a bachelor of Fine Arts in Filmmaking.
Fahad AlJoudi - Director
Fahad was born and raised in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. He has a MFA in Filmmaking from the New York Film Academy in Los Angeles. He also has a BA in Radio/TV Broadcasting from Umm Al-Qura University. He is an award-winning director. His most recent film as a director is Roach, about an imprisoned Arab civilian who must do what he can to survive and protect his family while experiencing life in a terrorist interrogation prison camp. This film will be out in 2017. He is also currently working on the script for a feature film that he hopes to direct in the future.
Hussain Alsadeq - Producer
Hussain Alsadeq was born and raised in Qatif and studied filmmaking at New York Film Academy, which brought him to Los Angeles to continue his studies, and work in the film industry. Hussain has produced more than 6 short films and one feature film, including award-winning films, “Lost Thekra” Hussain's led efforts to bring major partners on board to help make the films.
Hussain has worked on a considerable number of sets as Producer and Cinematographer. He has shot (features and short), music videos, commercials, TV shows, and Web Series.
Jumanah Shaheen - Post-Production Supervisor
Born in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and raised between the United States and Saudi Arabia, Jumanah Shaheen grew up moving between countries, shifting between cultures acclimating to new societal norms.
Jumanah applied to Academy of Art University to study Animation and Visual Effects production with an emphasis 3D modeling. It combined her love for computers, storytelling, animation, and film. Jumanah moved to San Francisco summer of 2010 and graduated with a BFA from the Academy of Art Spring of 2015.
Both Film and Animated films were a huge part of her life; they have helped her view perspectives differently and live in a new way.
Jumanah has been presented with a range of opportunities which include Oscar-nominated film, Theeb, Independent Spirit Award, Fruitvale Station, Sundance Award, Advantageous, and MTV VMA nominated best visuals Taylor Swift - Look What You Made Me Do breaking record of the most watched video on YouTube. Working alongside recognized Hollywood figures like Ryan Coogler, Joseph Khan, and Kenya Barris. All this experience has extended her knowledge in the industry.
Ghiya Rushidat - Composer
Based in LA, Ghiya Rushidat is an acclaimed music composer with a unique approach to creating immersive, intense, and sensorial soundtracks. Ghiya acquired a love for music at an early age, where she began learning piano when she was only four. Ghiya continues to write original music for groups across the world. So far, she has recorded with big orchestras in Budapest, LA, and San Francisco.
Ghiya was accepted to the prestigious Sundance composers lab as one of the eight qualifying composers out of 800 applicants. While there, she was mentored by Oscar- winning composers in Hollywood. One of them was Christopher Young, who's behind the popular scores for Spiderman, and The Exorcist. This is one of the experiences that has enriched her artistic skills tremendously and helped her grow as an on- demand musician.
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