International Shia News Agency

Iranian film on Shia saints dubbed into Arabic

SHAFAQNA – A cast of Lebanese actors has recently completed dubbing the controversial film “Hussein, Who Said No”, which is about Imam Hussein (AS), his family and the tragedy of Ashura.

“Due to the fact that the Ashura uprising began in an Arab territory, an Arabic voiceover can help the film achieve a better audience reception,” assistant director Reza Masudi said on the website of the film, which is scheduled to be released in Iran during the last week of the month of Ramadan. 

“The film met with a mixed reaction from the Lebanese actors,” he added, according to Tehran Times. 

“I recall that Ali Shaqir, who voiced Imam Hussein (AS), wept after each dialogue,” he stated. 

The Arabic title of the film is “Al Qurban” (“The Sacrifice”). 

Ali Sa’d voices Hazrat Abbas (AS), the brother of Imam Hussein (AS). Bilal Bashtawi, Jihad Nasim al-Atrash and Umar al-Shima are main members of the voice actors. 

The depiction of members of the Shia Imams’ households in the film sparked a storm of protest from top clerics in Iran in 2013 when director Ahmadreza Darvish completed the movie. 

The faces of Hazrat Abbas (AS), the brother of Imam Hussein (AS); Hazrat Ali-Akbar (AS) and Hazrat Ali-Asghar (AS), the sons of Imam Hussein (AS); and Hazrat Qasim (AS), the son of Imam Hassan (AS) have been depicted graphically in scenes of the film. 

Afterwards, Darvish agreed to modify the film for screening in Iran. 

The film premiered at the 32nd Fajr International Film Festival that was held in Tehran in February 2104 and won five Crystal Simorghs in the categories of best film, best director, best composer, best cinematographer, and best costume and set designer.

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