Night Walk (film)

Last updated
Night Walk
Night Walk 2019 film.jpeg
Film poster
Directed by Aziz Tazi
Written byAziz Tazi
Produced by
  • Tatyana Bulgakova
  • Alex Cooray
  • Ivana Nguyen
  • Aziz Tazi
  • Mostapha Mellouk
Starring
CinematographyImad Rhayem
Music byYouness Hamidi
Production
companies
Lena River Productions
Global Media Africa
Casablanca Media Partners
Release dates
22 April 2019 (Moscow)
5 August 2019 (Prague)
15 June 2021 (USA)
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Night Walk is an American crime thriller drama film written and directed by Aziz Tazi and starring Sean Stone, Mickey Rourke, Sarah Alami, French rapper La Fouine and Eric Roberts. The film is a modern-day Romeo and Juliet between the West and the Middle East that turns into a crime drama. In the film, a hero's quest for justice evolves into a spiritual journey led by Muslim inmates, from the moderate convert to terror-linked fundamentalists. [1] Night Walk was shot between Los Angeles and five cities in Morocco. It premiered at the 2019 Moscow International Film Festival. [2] In 2021, Night Walk was acquired by Lionsgate, making it the first Moroccan film in history to get Hollywood distribution. [3]

Contents

Cast

Plot

Frank is a bachelor who has no plan of being tied down, that is until he meets Sarah. Sarah, an Arab woman from another country, changes Frank's perspective on love. Frank, who never wanted to settle down, falls for Sarah and they develop a love that will soon be forbidden. On the evening of Frank's planned proposal in Sarah's homeland, they decide to take a walk around town, when they get themselves into a violent scuffle with local corrupt police that ends in Sarah being killed. Scared of the international backlash, the police instantly frame Frank for the murder of Sarah. Helped by a corrupt American judge, Frank gets sent to prison where he immediately gets brutally beaten. Frank soon meets a Muslim inmate that takes him under his wing and guides him to get justice. While Frank is trying to prove his innocence, he continues to get shut down by the crooked judge who has other devious intentions. Frank now has to deal with the loss of his beloved girlfriend while battling for his innocence with a corrupt justice system.

Release

The film was first screened at the 2019 Moscow International Film Festival and at the 2019 Prague Independent Film Festival. On 10 June 2021, the film had a limited theatrical release in Russia in 250 screens. In the same month, the film was released on DVD and Blu-ray formats in the United States, the U.K., Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. It will also get a 2021 release in Germany, the Indian subcontinent, Latin America, Portugal, Turkey, and all of Eastern Europe.

Reception

Accolades

The film received the Best Screenplay award for Aziz Tazi and Best Actor award for Mickey Rourke at the 2019 Prague Independent Film Festival. [4] Spectrum News 1 aired a 2-min segment on director Aziz Tazi's mission to challenge stereotypes about the Arab and Muslim community, that played nationwide every hour for an entire day. [5] Variety and The Huffington Post have covered the film as well. [6] [7] Both The Washington Post and Entertainment Weekly included Night Walk in their "Movies to Stream this week" list. [8] [9]

The Russian trade Kinoreporter called Night Walk "a breath of fresh air" in their review of MIFF screened films while in the U.K., Creature Feature Corner said it was "Mickey Rourke's best performance since Iron Man 2". [10] During an interview of Mickey Rourke on national British TV with Piers Morgan (Good Morning Britain), the BAFTA and Golden Globe-winning actor spoke highly of his experience working with director Aziz Tazi praising "the enthusiasm of this guy who was only 28" and saying about Tazi: “he wasn't terrified to work with me, he was just very excited to work with me.". [11]

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References

  1. ↑ "La Fouine, Sean Stone et Patrick Kilpatrick dans le nouveau film de Aziz Tazi". Huffington Post .
  2. ↑ "Night Walk". Moscow International Film Festival.
  3. ↑ "'Night Walk' Becomes First Moroccan Film to Hit Hollywood".
  4. ↑ "PIFF 2019 Winners". Prague Independent Film Festival.
  5. ↑ "Filmmaker dispels Muslim stereotypes with movie 'Night Walk'".
  6. ↑ "Moroccan Thriller 'Night Walk' with Mickey Rourke Scores International Sales (EXCLUSIVE)". 7 June 2021.
  7. ↑ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine : Huffington Post - Night Walk, a Moroccan adventure made in Hollywood. YouTube .
  8. ↑ Michael O'Sullivan (2021-06-19) [2021-06-16]. "New movies to stream this week: 'Rise Again: Tulsa and the Red Summer,' 'Luca' and more". The Washington Post . Washington, D.C. ISSN   0190-8286. OCLC   1330888409.[ please check these dates ]
  9. ↑ "What to Watch on Tuesday: 'Cruel Summer' closes the case with season 1 finale". Entertainment Weekly .
  10. ↑ "Крестоносцы, призраки, мальчики-автоматчики и Микки Рурк: 6 занятных жанровых фильмов 41-го ММКФ".
  11. ↑ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine : Mickey Rourke on How His Psychiatrist Told Him to Take 'The Wrestler' Role | Good Morning Britain. YouTube .
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