“You Will Die At Twenty” Receives Audience Award at Ajyal Film Festival

The much-acclaimed Sudanese film, You Will Die at Twenty, by Sudanese director and screenwriter Amjad Abu Alala, has received the Audience Award at the seventh edition of Ajyal Film Festival in Doha, Qatar on 23 November 2019.

#Youwilldieat20 wins the Audience Award at the @Ajyalfilm festival in #Doha! Thank you to the wonderful audience for their unwavering support. #ajyal19 @Amjad_Abu_Ala @AjyalFilm @DohaFilm pic.twitter.com/9qjJ9iBhCO

— You Will Die At Twenty (@YouWillDieAt20) November 23, 2019

The #Ajyal19 Audience Award goes to: YOU WILL DIE AT TWENTY (@Youwilldieat20) by @Amjad_Abu_Ala. pic.twitter.com/g45F61gJtr

— Ajyal Film Festival (@AjyalFilm) November 23, 2019

The 2019 Ajyal Film Festival Audience Award was presented by HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani, the sister of HH, The Amir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Ajyal Film Festival is organised by Doha Film Institute (DFI), which granted You Will Die at Twenty funding in 2016.

In addition to You Will Die at Twenty, two other Sudanese films were screened at Ajyal Film Festival including the award-wining Talking About Trees by acclaimed Sudanese filmmaker Suhaib Gasmelbari and debut film Tick Tock by Sudanese filmmaker Awad Karrar.

You Will Die at Twenty has been showing at the Ajyal Film Festival as well as local cinemas throughout the film festival. Film screenings have been sold out. Due to high demand, the film will continue to screen until 2 December 2019.

Over 450 people watched #Youwilldieat20 tonight at @dohafilm‘s @ajyalfilm in a completely sold-out show whose tickets were entirely gone in 24 hours. @Amjad_Abu_Ala pic.twitter.com/RDLpVpfdP3

— You Will Die At Twenty (@YouWillDieAt20) November 22, 2019

Great news for those who want to see #Youwilldieat20 in #Doha! @Dohafilm has just announced additional screenings for the film from November 29 to December 2! Tickets are very limited so book now!https://t.co/SuIvqxpYiR pic.twitter.com/UaPavAwYNP

— You Will Die At Twenty (@YouWillDieAt20) November 22, 2019

In addition to its Gulf premiere at the Ajyal Film Festival in Qatar, You Will Die At Twenty screened in the UAE as part of the first edition of ON.DXB film festival, which took place from 21 to 23 November at Dubai Studio City.

Inspired by Sudanese writer Hammour Ziada’s short story, Sleeping at the Foot of the Mountain, You Will Die At Twenty is set in Al Jazirah state, where a mother gives birth to Muzamel in a Sudanese village dominated by Sufi beliefs. When a prophecy by the holy man of the village predicts that he will die at the age of 20, Muzamel grows up surrounded by sympathy, making him feel dead before his time, until Suliman, a cinematographer who has worked in the city, returns to the village. Suliman’s old cinema projector opens a window onto a whole new world for Muzamel. Slowly, he comes to doubt the truth of the prophecy.

You Will Die At Twenty has bagged several awards since its premiere at the 76th Venice International Film Festival in September 2019 where it received the Lion of the Future (Luigi de Laurentiis) Award for Best Debut Feature, becoming the first Sudanese film to win an award at the Italian film festival. In addition, You Will Die At Twenty received the Golden Star Award for Best Feature Narrative at El Gouna International Film Festival on 28 September 2019. The film also received the Best Screenplay award at the Carthage Film Festival 2019 and the Hamburg Producers Award at the Filmfest Hamburg 2019.

Reactions:

So I watched You Will Die at 20 last night. My review is deftly biased but safe to say I was very pleased with the movie as a whole; from the characterisation to the visual presentation to the script’s plot & structure. Brilliant induction of the Sudanese cinema to the world 🙌🏾

— Math (@MathabaHatim) November 21, 2019

You will Die at 20.

The definition of Sudanese Excellence.

Madaniaaaaaaoooooo.

— Addictani (@ItsMathani) November 22, 2019

The screening of “You will die at 20” at #TIFF19 With director Amjad Abo alella Full house, lots of the Sudanese we all shouted “Madaniyaaaa” and he chanted back 😂 🎬 pic.twitter.com/YBmUNyaJOP

— بنت نوبية (@NU_B_YA) September 15, 2019

“You will die at 20” is a piece of art 👌🏽

— حسن (@hassanabubaker_) November 22, 2019

Finally saw You Will Die At Twenty yesterday, it really lives up to the hype. The movie was really interesting and well made. It makes you think about a lot of the ideas it portrays about our culture, which I think what a great movie should do, make you think about it a lot.

— Amin (@TheOptimistMe) November 21, 2019

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