Out in the Dark

Out in the Dark
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Michael Mayer
Starring
  • Nicholas Jacob
  • Michael Aloni
Music by
  • Mark Holden
  • Michael Lopez
Cinematography Ran Aviad
Edited by Maria Gonzales
Production
companies
Distributed by Transfax Film Productions
Release date
  • 7 September 2012 (2012-09-07) (TIFF)
  • 28 February 2013 (2013-02-28) (Israel)
Running time
 96 minutes
Country Israel
Language
  • Hebrew
  • Arabic

Out in the Dark (Hebrew: עלטה‎) is a 2012 Israeli romantic drama film which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2012 and in Israel in the Haifa International Film Festival in October 2012. It is the directorial debut of Michael Mayer (מיכאל מאיר).[1][2][3][4]

The film tells the story of the relationship between Roy, an Israeli lawyer, and Nimer, a Palestinian psychology student. The film was released commercially in Israel on 28 February 2013.

The film has been accredited with 25 awards[5] throughout its creation, which includes the Audience Award at the Berlin Jewish Film Festival in 2013,[5][6] along with the FilmOut San Diego in 2013.[5][6]

Plot

The film is set in Israel, where Palestinian student Nimr Mashrawi (Nicholas Jacob) is heading to Tel Aviv to meet his friend Mustafa N'amnais (Loai Nofi) at a gay bar. While at the bar, he meets a local Israeli lawyer named Roy Schaefer (Michael Aloni). The pair fall in love, though Nimr struggles with the reality of their relationship. Palestinian society rejects Nimr because of his sexual orientation, whereas Israeli society rejects him due to his nationality. The situation is made worse for Nimr when he realises his brother Nabil Mashrawi (Jamil Khoury) is hiding a weapon stockpile for his militant friends.

Nimr is granted a student visa to study at a university in Tel Aviv, giving him more opportunity to see Roy. However, he is soon approached by the Israeli Secret Service who pressure him into becoming an informant by threatening to cancel his visa. Nimr refuses and his visa is cancelled. Unbeknownst to Nimr, Mustafa has been living illegally in Tel Aviv under a similar arrangement. When he is unable to provide any more information, he is forcibly deported back to the West Bank where he is immediately abducted by Nabil and his gang of extremists. Nimr is forced to watch as his friend is tortured and executed for being homosexual and an informant.

Later, while going through Mustafa's phone, Nabil and his friends find a photo of Nimr. Despite their differences, Nabil lets Nimr escape rather than killing him. Nimr makes it to Roy's house and hides there. Meanwhile, Nabil's store of weapons is discovered by the authorities. He is arrested and the police search for Nimr as an accomplice.

Unable to hide him forever, Roy convinces an underworld figure and client of his law firm to smuggle Nimr to France. Though he promises to meet him there in the future, Roy is arrested while distracting the police so Nimr can escape. Nimr makes it to his boat and sails away, unaware of what has happened to Roy.

Cast

  • Nicholas Jacob as Nimer Mashrawi
  • Michael Aloni as Roy Schaffer
  • Jamil Khoury as Nabil Mashrawi
  • Alon Pdut as Gil
  • Loai Nofi as Mustafa N'amna
  • Khawlah Hag-Debsy as Hiam Mashrawi
  • Maysa Daw as Abir Mashrawi
  • Shimon Mimran as Daniel

References

  1. ↑ King, Susan. "'Out in the Dark' director brings Palestinian-Israeli affair to light". latimes.com. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
  2. ↑ Barnes, Henry. "Out in the Dark – review". theguardian.com. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
  3. ↑ Ramos, Dino-Ray. "Review: Out in the Dark". israelfilmcenter.org. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
  4. ↑ Rooney, David. "Out in the Dark: Toronto Review". hollywoodreporter.com. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
  5. 1 2 3 "Festivals & Awards". outinthedarkthemovie.com. breaking glass pictures. n.d. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  6. 1 2 "Out in the Dark (2012) Awards". IMDb.com. IMDb.com. n.d. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
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