FIRST
VISUALS OF NIGHT WALK.
A
provocative movie about Islam that bridges
the
gap between America and the Middle East.
***
Presently in Production with 5 acclaimed Hollywood actors. ***
Surrounded
by an international crew of veterans in the film industry, 24 year-old first
time Moroccan director Aziz Tazi directs 5 major Hollywood actors for
his first feature film Night Walk, a controversial story about Islam in
America. The movie is a rom-com developing into a crime drama set in
present-day America and the Middle East.
The
team has already gathered a powerhouse cast with names such as Academy-Award®
nominee Eric Roberts (The Dark Knight, The Expendables) who plays a corrupt
American judge and Tommy ‘Tiny’ Lister (The Fifth Element,
Jackie Brown)
who is the lead Muslim inmate mentoring the young protagonist. “After
working for 31 years and on over 200 films, including five $100M pictures, I’ve
been waiting to play 3 specific roles: Satan, Jesus, and a Muslim.”, explains Lister. “When
I learned about this character in Night Walk, I immediately sought out to play
this incredible role. I’m very excited about the entire project and this great
cast.”, he
adds.
When
an American atheist is wrongfully imprisoned by corrupt Islamic police for the
murder of his Arabic girlfriend; his quest for justice turns into a spiritual
journey lead by Muslim inmates, ranging from the moderate convert to
terror-linked extremists.
The
film alternatively tells the story of a man at two stages of his life: As he
takes a spiritual journey in the direst of conditions in prison and as he falls
in love with an Arabic woman. It’s a tale weaving together themes of injustice
with corruption, in a context of culture shock between the West and the Middle
East.
The project has already started filming in Los Angeles, CA and is in
talks with countries like Morocco, Egypt and Turkey to
shoot the Middle-Eastern scenes.
The
cast also includes Richard Tyson (Kindergarten Cop, There’s Something
About Mary) Louis
Mandylor (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) and Patrick Kilpatrick(Minority
Report, The Eraser)
who embody an intransigent prison system unwary of inmates conditions. “The
film swirls with very present religious extremism, hate and love, the power of
forgiveness and the journey to justice. Aside from that, the role of the prison
guard is pretty nuanced.”, affirms Kilpatrick who is running for a nomination for
a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for
his role in NCIS: Los Angeles.
Frank, the lead role, is played by no other than Richie Chance who
runs the famous Expressions Unlimited acting school in Los Angeles. “I
am honored to be cast as Frank and to work alongside the stars I have been a
huge fan of since I started acting as a kid. Night Walk is going to
create a much needed conversation about Islam in the USA. For most Americans
like myself, I normally only hear about Islam when it’s in the news and is
relating to a negative subject. Aziz has written a story that will
bring a new perspective to a subject that has been for years, a sensitive one,
by showcasing the battle for good against evil with sensitivity and insight.” As
to his love interest, Sarah, the team hasn’t settled on a name yet. “We saw
hundreds of talents during the audition process as it is very important for us
to find a powerful actress who meets a specific number of criteria including
the ability to speak Arabic.”, says Executive
Producer Keith Barrows who is going through an exhaustive search
locally and internationally. “We’re still looking for the
Middle-Eastern gem.”
The
story has been eloquently put together by Writer/Director Aziz Tazi. Tazi is a
child of three worlds: Morocco, France and America. Driven by a burning
passion for filmmaking, he left the North African country at age 17 to seek
better opportunities abroad and only recently settled in Los Angeles to tackle
a very daring and controversial topic for his first feature. “Islam has
always been a big part of my life. I was blessed to be raised in a liberal
country”, says
the filmmaker. “Growing up, I was taught to be respectful, considerate
of people and keep an open mind. Those are the qualities that I gave to my
heroes while my villains embody all the abuses that I denounce, from
islamophobia to religious extremism including corruption. I want my audience to
be equally balanced between unprejudiced curious non-Muslims and intelligent
receptive Muslims. I believe that a strong thing I have going for my distinct
voice is my insider understanding of Muslim culture. If change comes from
within then I want to be that Muslim who defies the fundamentalists. I want to
fight them - not with violence, but with brains. And a very powerful way to do
that is through film. That’s why I wrote this story and that’s why I strongly
believe this story needs to be told.”
Be
on the lookout for this exciting project coming soon to a theater near you. For
more information, check out the official website www.nightwalkthemovie.com.
· Night
Walk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nightwalkthemovie
· 360 Studios
Official Website: www.360studiosltd.com
· Facebook: www.facebook.com/360films
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