PHOTO ART FOR “The Winds That Scatter.”
This film by Chris Bell, with Ahmad Chahrour and Mohammad Dagman, is available by OVID.Tv.
Ahmad Chahrour, in a superb acting debut, plays a middle-aged Syrian man trying to find a job in post-9/11 America with the humble yet dwindling aspiration to start his own taxi service. A micro-budget film with a wealth of empathic heart.
This was a beautiful film, showing this man’s struggle to find work in any manner possible in the New York area. He has found lodging with a fellow countryman.
He’s in constant communication with his folks in Syria, assuring them that he’s ok. But he’s far from OK. He needs a job, and it’s not like he lacks ambition.
The film opens with Ahmad working at a gas station and being cheated while filling up someone’s tank.
He then tries working at a jewelry store, in construction work, but his dream is to be a taxi driver.
Ahmad is able to enjoy some of American niceties—like attending a baseball game and enjoying a hotdog.
He is also committed to his praying through it the day. He even enjoys activities with his community that has also migrated to the United States.
However, his entire focus is on securing work—as it should be. He has inquired about getting a special license to drive a taxi. But, of course, that requires an application fee.
The film does a great job of showing Ahmad’s relentless quest to navigate the American economy with optimism and good faith. Soon, reality begins to set in, as consistent work is scarce and often dangerous. It slowly begins to take a toll on his relationships, faith, and sense of self, with his dream slipping quickly from his grasp.
By film’s end, you cheer for him to be successful, as his search to truly be American continues.
Enjoy a trailer from the film: https://fb.watch/ohYy1tEHwR/?mibextid=IiXUvc.
“Chris Bell fulfills the promise of the observant, patient lens he wielded in shorts such as “Bridges” with this feature-length character study.” —Filmmaker Magazine
Visit https://www.ovid.tv/videos/the-winds-that-scatter for information.
