Archive for March, 2014

March 30th 2014

Sunday, March 30th, 2014
Filmwise: the pause from writing and editing continues.
“The other way…”
“Turn right, when you leave the station, and head to the super store,” had directed me the receptionist with the Polish accent.
Having walked a bit longer than the eight minutes she had estimated to be the distance, I stopped an elderly gentleman who appeared as if he’d stepped off the set of the Last of the Summer Wine.
“Good morning; am I walking in the right direction for the big store?”
“No, it’s the other way!”
“Oh, many thanks. I hope I can make it there by 8:30; I have a dentist’s appointment.”
“Are you going to the XYZ practice?”
I nodded.
“They’ve been my dentists for many years.”
I was pleased with the good review the man gave my new dentist.
Peace and love,
Ja’far
Filmwise: the pause from writing and editing continues.
The other way…
“Turn right, when you leave the station, and head to the super store,” had directed me the receptionist with the Polish accent.
Having walked a bit longer than the eight minutes she had estimated to be the distance, I stopped an elderly gentleman who appeared as if he’d stepped off the set of the Last of the Summer Wine.
“Good morning; am I walking in the right direction for the big store?”
“No, it’s the other way!”
“Oh, many thanks. I hope I can make it there by 8:30; I have a dentist’s appointment.”
“Are you going to the XYZ practice?”
I nodded.
“They’ve been my dentists for many years.”
I was pleased with the good review the man gave my new dentist.
Peace and love,
Ja’far

Posted in Life | No Comments »

March 23rd 2014

Sunday, March 23rd, 2014
Filmwise: more quality time away from writing and editing.
Romeo and the Sunday market
A book, a cup of coffee and an alfresco table; a good recipe for contentment.
I am drawn away from the page to an exchange between a florist and a young man.
He: a red rose, please.
She: which we would you like?
Motions to a bunch of fresh-looking flowers.
He asks her to choose the best one.
As she goes about removing the thorns from the stem, he seems unable to keep his thoughts and feelings on mute.
He: It’s for a girl.
She: that’s sweet.
He: I bought a book from her last week.
She: is she in the Sunday market there?
He nods.
He pays her and walks away.
She follows him with her eyes.
I imagine that like me she wishes this Romeo happiness with the Sunday market Juliet.
Peace and love,
Ja’far
Filmwise: more quality time away from writing and editing.
Romeo and the Sunday market
A book, a cup of coffee and an alfresco table; a good recipe for contentment.
I am drawn away from the page to an exchange between a florist and a young man.
He: a red rose, please.
She: which would you like?
Motions to a bunch of fresh-looking flowers.
He asks her to choose the best one.
As she goes about removing the thorns from the stem, he seems unable to keep his thoughts and feelings on mute.
He: It’s for a girl.
She: that’s sweet.
He: I bought a book from her last week.
She: is she in the Sunday market there?
He nods.
He pays her and walks away.
She follows him with her eyes.
I imagine that like me she wishes this Romeo happiness with Juliet of the Sunday market.
Peace and love,
Ja’far

Posted in Life | No Comments »

March 16th 2014

Sunday, March 16th, 2014
Filmwise: enjoying the break from writing and editing.
Burger…
At a street market this Sunday, I found myself drawn to a queue for a beef and veggie burgers stand.
The popularity of the stand seemed to spread further in the market with every bite a new customer would take from the said sandwiches.
When finally his turn came, a customer quipped, “this is too long a queue; you should change the recipe!”
Peace and love,
Ja’far
Filmwise: enjoying the break from writing and editing.
Burger…
At a street market this Sunday, I found myself drawn to a queue for a beef and veggie burgers stand.
The popularity of the stand seemed to spread further in the market with every bite a new customer would take from the said sandwiches.
When finally his turn came, a customer quipped, “this is too long a queue; you should change the recipe!”
Peace and love,
Ja’far

Posted in Life | No Comments »

March 9th 2014

Sunday, March 9th, 2014

Filmwise: The eighth draft of the little girl in Baghdad script is being allowed some me time to breathe.

A sponge…

In an old interview, a Tunisian film actor compared her artist within to a sponge that constantly needs to be submerged in life, and I would add the arts, in order to continue to be creative and fresh.

So, dedicating the weekend to unwinding and recovering from over three months of writing, I took advantage of the sunshine on Saturday and walked through the West End and South Bank.

In addition to the delicious experience of watching the magnificent The Grand Budapest Hotel (Dir. Wes Anderson, 2014), I experienced a most sweet and kindly moment along the day.

A couple in their thirties stopped by a wall on the pavement.

“Wait!”, reprimanded the man, as his female companion attempted to calm down their dog.

“Sit!”, she commanded in a gentle tone, but the little chap was too eager for what the man had in his hand – a bottle of mineral water.

With the woman gently caressing the dog’s head, the animal thirstily licked the water from the man’s palm. The three seemed to work in concert, he pouring, she holding and encouraging, and the dog drinking before the water slipped through the man’s fingers.

Peace and love,

Ja‘far

Posted in Life, Little Girl in Baghdad story | No Comments »

March 2nd 2014

Sunday, March 2nd, 2014

Filmwise: Our feature film MESOCAFÉ is part of the Raindance VOD Premiere Collection line-up.

Raindance_releasing_Meso_page

Officially launched last Monday, the site has received coverage in the trades, including Screen Daily and the Hollywood Reporter.

Peace and love,

Ja‘far ‘Abd al-Hamid


Posted in Screenings | No Comments »