Samt (2004) | Stream

SAMT 

A conservative taxi driver seeks to prevent his sister from attending a school event their father has approved. She has lied that there'll be no boys there. Through the markets of Amman, the ancient city of Petra and the Roman ruins above the Dead Sea, the young try out new freedoms the old resist.

• World Premiere: Mill Valley International Film Festival, 2004.

"Amerindie vet Rob Nilsson's "Samt" goes far afield to dramatize the divide between traditional and modernizing gender roles in Jordan. Vid-shot pic manages with docudrama-style simplicity to provide considerable insight into the debate over women's freedom in modern Muslim societies." - Dennis Harvey, Variety, Oct 14, 2004

"My argument with Hollywood and with most of what I see out there, is that they’re so concerned that you should know a thing. But who’s to say anyone can know a thing? I look out and I see nothing but mystery and I’m amazed by it and frightened by it, daunted by it. Things like that feel more real to me than these certainties. I like the animal – I like the notion of the hive... but hives of humans – not only are they protecting their honey... they’re making mad wars and terrible destructive devices, so it’s more complicated than the drones and the queens and the workers.” - Interview with Nancy Keefe Rhodes, 2009 Syracuse Intl. Film Festival

"Not many films deal with older characters and few if any in the gritty, creative way Nilsson does in this film. He obtains unbelievable subtle yet powerful performances from his main actors whose character development is rich and many faceted. The film is simply compelling on all levels, performance, story, visualization" - Owen Shapiro, IMBD, 2010

Director:

• Rob Nilsson

Story:

• Rob Nilsson

• SAMT Workshop Participants

Improvised by the Cast:

• Jihad

• Dima Al Sharif

• Mohammed Hoshky

• Omar Sharif

• Zad El Kheir Al Sharif

• Ahmad Takrouri

• Alia Khleifat

• Mohammed Ma'ayta

• Hazem

• Essa Mussa

Director of Photography:

• Mickey Freeman

Additional Cinematography:

• Dima Al Sharif

• Mohammed Hoshky

• Omar Sharif

• Mohammed Ma’ayta

• Hazem

• Essa Mussa

Ariel Cinematography:

• Chikara Motomura

Sound:

• Omar Sharif

Director Assistants:

• Dima Al Sharif

• Mohammed Hoshky

• Omar Sharif

Production Assistant (in U.S.):

• Allegra Pickett

Arabic Translation:

• Saed Muhssin

Editor:

• Chikara Motomura

Sound Design & Mix:

• Al Nelson at The Noise Floor

Producer:

• Farah Daghistani

Executive Producer:

• John Stout

Production Support:

• The Queen Zein Al Sharaf Institute for Development

• The Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Development

Okunrin Meta - David Schickele