BILLAL

DOCUMENTARY 1996

The dramatic repercussions of a serious act of racially-motivated violence. The victims are a Lebanese family living in an outer-Sydney suburb. Their teenage son, Billal is run-down by a car sustaining massive brain injury. The film, shot over a period of 15 months, follows the dramatic twists and turns in the life of the family as they slowly come to terms with this traumatic event.

STILLS

RESOURCES

Billal was more ambitious story-wise compared to Homelands in the sense that I featured more characters and story-lines apart from the main narrative - which was Billal’s recovery from brain injury he suffered from being run down in a racially motivated attack. The story wasn’t just about Bill’s recovery, it was about how every member of the family was changed by the experience.

Billal premiered at the Sydney Film Festival in 1996 at the State Theatre, and then played at MIFF, BIFF, Adelaide IFF, and in many international film festivals including IDFA (in competition). Billal had a nation-wide cinema run and was broadcast on ABC-TV in late 1996.

BILLAL DIRECTOR’S NOTES

BILLAL SYNOPSIS

BILLAL - REVIEW IN VARIETY MAGAZINE

BILLAL - REVIEW IN CINEMA PAPERS

BILLAL - DVD cover

BILLAL- CINEMA flyer