Competition Narrative Feature
The Falconer
Directed by: Adam Sjöberg and Seanne Winslow
USA/Oman, 2021, 100m
In English and Arabic with English subtitles
Florida Premiere
In this powerful story inspired by true events, the friendship of two teenage boys from very different worlds is put to the test with a daring plan that goes awry. Best friends Tariq, an Omani teenager, and Cai, a privileged westerner, conspire to steal animals from the Oman Park Zoo and sell them on the black market to raise money for Tariq’s sister’s escape from an abusive marriage. Unexpectedly, they are forced to wrestle with morally complex choices that reveal the vast distance between their worlds. Winner of Best Feature at several film festivals (including Newport Beach and Savannah), The Falconer offers fascinating insights into the challenges young males have in developing friendships, how our economic privilege determines our ethical perspective, and how young women fighting to find independence from abuse encounter a world that does not value their overall safety.