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Like all powerful stories, EXCEPTION arose at a time of despair and great challenges, when compelling and authentic stories are needed most. When the M Film Lab and Open Screenplay, two organizations dedicated to empowering minority filmmakers, lowered barriers and leveled the playfield through an open and free film lab opportunity, the story for EXCEPTION by young Palestinian-American screenwriter, Nader Yousef, emerged as a winner.
In the collaborative spirit of birthing films, authentic voices merged when Palestinian-Canadians and Open Screenplay Co-Founders, Khaled Sabawi and Sami Sabawi, were granted the honor of writing the screenplay for EXCEPTION and developing it into a short film screenplay. Under the guidance of Oscar-nominated Executive Producer, Mohannad Malas, and Oscar-nominated and BAFTA-winning director Farah Nabulsi, Open Screenplay brought on Rodrigue Hammal, an award-winning Canadian director with Lebanese and Syrian heritage, to bring Exception to life.
M Film Lab is a free-to-join screenwriting workshop and mentorship opportunity for storytellers and creators committed to fair artistic representation of minorities that are underrepresented in film & television.
Open Screenplay is a multilingual online screenwriting platform and community that develops and educates underrepresented screenwriters and connects them to opportunities around the world.
SYNOPSIS
When a leaked video of his lecture on the Psychology of Oppression goes viral and sparks accusations of anti-Semitism, tenured Palestinian-American professor Karim Hadawi finds himself at a crossroads with a harrowing ultimatum: issue a public apology to salvage his career or risk losing not only his job but also the custody of his beloved daughter. This unexpected challenge forces Karim to navigate a turbulent territory where principles clash with the pressures of employment and public perception, plunging him into a distressing battle for integrity, family, and the preservation of freedom of speech.
SCREENINGS
EXCEPTION will be screening at the following festivals:
| Festival | City | Date | Time & Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Antonio International Film Festival | San Antonio, TX | Saturday, August 3, 2024 | |
| Free Palestine Film Festival | London, UK | Sunday, August 4, 2024 | |
| Toronto Shorts Film Festival | Toronto, ON | Saturday, August 24, 2024 | |
| Utopia Film Festival | Greenbelt, Maryland | Saturday, October 19, 2024 | 12:30pm (New Deal Cafe) |
| Aesthetica Film Festival | York, UK | Friday, November 6, 2024 | 14:00-15:30 (Theatre Main) |
| Aesthetica Film Festival | York, UK | Saturday, November 7, 2024 | 10:00-11:30 (Theatre Royal) |
| Aesthetica Film Festival | York, UK | Sunday, November 8, 2024 | 21:30-23:00 (Friargate) |
| European Cinema and Screenplay Festival | TBD | TBD |
DIRECTOR
Rodrigue Hammal
Rodrigue Hammal is a Canadian filmmaker with Lebanese and Syrian heritage. His childhood and teenage years were shaped by the tumultuous times of the Lebanese civil war. As a queer filmmaker born amidst this backdrop, Rodrigue's experiences have indelibly influenced his perspective on life and storytelling, drawing him to subjects and narratives that delve into the experiences of minorities, mental health, and human struggles.
This passion for authentic storytelling led him to graduate with honors in filmmaking from the Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts in Beirut. From there, he dove headfirst into the director’s chair, orchestrating a range of projects spanning short films, web series, and documentaries. His work has garnered multiple accolades, elevating his career and underscoring his significant impact on the world of storytelling.
SCREENWRITERS
STORY BY
NADER YOUSEF
Nader Yousef is a Palestinian-American independent filmmaker, musician, and co-owner of a videography company based in Austin, Texas. Nader is the kind of person who listens to Oum Kalthoum while playing baseball and dips his tenders in olive oil, meaning cultural blending shapes his artistic identity through the films he works on and the music he makes (but never chocolate hummus). His successes range from being on the big screen at the Austin Film Festival, to working on high budget productions for HBO and Netflix, to having his script translated to screen by Open Screenplay, and more. He credits his experience as an immigrant for who he is today and he will ensure to carry that beautiful burden wherever he goes.
SCREENPLAY BY
KHALED SABAWI and sami sabawi
Khaled Sabawi is a Canadian-Palestinian serial entrepreneur and executive producer. While he began screenwriting and directing at age 16, Khaled ventured into entrepreneurship where he founded award-winning for-profit social enterprises in renewable energy and indigenous property rights protection in the West Bank and screenwriting-tech in Canada. Khaled received the Young Alumni Achievement Medal from the University of Waterloo and was featured on the cover of Forbes Middle East for his entrepreneurial work. Khaled is the Co-Founder of Open Screenplay, and has produced 4 award-winning short films. Exception is Khaled’s first screenwriting credit.
Sami Sabawi is a Canadian-Palestinian producer, screenwriter, and Co-Founder of Open Screenplay, who along with cousin and partner Khaled Sabawi, produced 4 award-winning short films, and co-wrote the screenplay for Exception.
CAST
as karim hadawi
waleed ZUAITER
as ben rozen
matt biedel
as valentina cruz
carla valentine
as layla hadawi
gloria EL-ACHKAR
AS IMAN HADAWI
EVA BELLA MAMARUV
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS
mohannad malas
Film producer and philanthropist Mohannad Malas is the Owner and CEO of Dana Investments, and a cofounder of IRA Capital. Mohannad produced and executive produced over ten films including award-winning films such as The Game Changers, 1948: Creation and Catastrophe, American East, Americanish, the Oscar-nominated documentary Short “Stranger at the Gate”, the Oscar nominated and BAFTA Winner short film “The Present”, and Sundance Winner “Warsha”.
farah nabulsi
Farah Nabulsi is an Academy Award®-nominated and BAFTA® award-winning Palestinian British filmmaker. In 2016 she started working in the film industry as a writer & producer of short fiction films. This includes “Today They Took My Son,” endorsed by British Director Ken Loach and screened at the United Nations.
The Present, her directorial debut, which she also co-wrote and produced, premiered at Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival in 2020 and won the coveted Audience Award for Best Film. It went on to win over 50 International Film Festival Jury and Audience Awards, a BAFTA® award, and it scored an Oscar® nomination. “The Present” was licensed internationally including to Canal+ and Netflix Worldwide.
The Teacher is Farah’s multi-award winning directorial fiction feature length film debut, which had its World premiere at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival. It had its MENA premiere at the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and took home the best actor award and the main jury prize. The jury was headed by director Baz Lurhmann. The film stars well known Palestinian actor, Saleh Bakri and well known British actress Imogen Poots.
Nabulsi has been invited to serve as a jury member at numerous festivals and as a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
PRODUCER
Zade Akkad
Zade Akkad has been in the entertainment industry for as long as he can remember. From reality TV to blockbuster features, he's worked on a wide range of productions, picking up a little bit of everything along the way. To really get the hang of filmmaking, Zade made it a point to dive into different departments, which has shaped him into a well-rounded producer.In 2013, Zade started Center Wheel Productions, LLC, a production company that tackles content in all shapes and sizes. With a passion for storytelling and a knack for bringing ideas to life, he is always looking for new ways to create and inspire.
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