Completed - ARABIC, ENGLISH - Biography, Historical, Documentary - 93 minutes
Syria’s first ever official selection for the Foreign Language category for the 90th Academy Awards follows the life of iconic Syrian peace activist Ghiyath Matar, known as “Little Gandhi.”
Year of production : 2017 Director(s) : Sam KADI Producer(s) : Sam KADI (Sam K Production, Inc. )
The immensely valuable footage of the film was shot under siege and smuggled out of the country.This feature documentary follows the life of iconic Syrian peace activist Ghiyath Matar, who became internationally known as “Little Gandhi” for his initiative of facing down violent government security forces with flowers and bottles of water, inspiring millions of people worldwide. Matar’s brutal torture and death at the age of 26 outraged the international community and erupted into one of the most violent crisis in modern history.The film was made to build a better understanding of what the Syrian Revolution is all about and what it stands for. To unveil the truth about the Syrian heroes who first initiated a movement for societal change several years before the Arab Spring. To shed light on these brave activists who in their own words were inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi. To remind the world of lives sacrificed in order to keep the Syrian movement a peaceful uprising in spite of the unprecedented violence by the Syrian regime. Through Little Gandhi, the filmmaker strives to share with the public the lost truth of the Syrian uprising.“Little Gandhi” was chosen to represent Syria by a committee of Syrian artists living in exile and, in a rare move, accepted as such by the Academy. “Little Gandhi” has been selected to screen for members of Congress, the United Nations, the Canadian Parliament and is endorsed by Amnesty International.“A remarkable and vitally important film.”--Amnesty International“Sam Kadi’s work is as heroic as the protagonists of his film. The feeling that you get...is the strong need to immediately share this story...” -The European Independent Film Festival"It is a profoundly moving and disturbing film that was produced in extraordinary difficult and dangerous circumstances." --Ian Black (The Guardian)"Little Gandhi is a great example of the power of film…” --France 24 TV (Encore)Awards Excellence in Filmmaking Award at the European Independent Film Festival in Paris Best Foreign Documentary Award at the International Family Film Festival in Los Angeles
Country(ies) : USA, SYRIA, TURKEY