July 14, 2011

The critically acclaimed movie, “Miral,,” the 20th Annual Media Awards Honoree, hit shelves this week and is available in Blu-ray and DVD. The poignant film is a visceral first-person account of a young girl growing up in East Jerusalem as she confronts the effects of occupation and war in every corner of her life.

The DVD is loaded with special features including deleted scenes, a “making of ‘Miral’ ” video, a studio tour with Director Julian Schnabel, a flimmaker Q&A and feature commentary with Schnabel and Producer John Kilik. 

“Miral” stars Screen Actors Guild Award winner Freida Pinto (“Slumdog Millionaire”) in the title role, Hiam Abbass (“The Visitor,” “Amreeka”), and Willem Dafoe (“Spider-Man,” “The English Patient”).

“Miral,” based on the semi-autobiographical novel of the same name by Rula Jebreal, tells the story of a Palestinian girl growing up amidst the war zone of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict — unflinchingly told through the perspective of Miral herself.

It is the first mainstream feature film released in the U.S. to tell a story rooted in this conflict, through the eyes of three generations of Palestinian women. Following the death of her mother, Miral’s father is forced to entrust her to the orphanage of Hind Husseini. Husseini’s commitment to peace through education has a profound impact on the maturing young woman; Miral’s journey to self-esteem and social consciousness proves both harrowing and hopeful.

--Aisha Elmasri
(aisha@mpac.org)
Hollywood Bureau and Government Relations Intern