Short synopsis : Chris Morris' FOUR LIONS is a funny, thrilling comedy that illuminates modern jihadism through the prism of farce. It understands jihadists as human beings. And it understands human beings as innately ridiculous. What THIS IS SPINAL TAP did for heavy metal and did DR STRANGELOVE for the Cold War, FOUR LIONS does for the modern face of terrorism.

Long synopsis : Chris Morris’ Four Lions is a funny, thrilling comedy that illuminates modern jihadism through the prism of farce. It understands jihadists as human beings. And it understands human beings as innately ridiculous. What Thi s Is Spi nal Tap did for heavy metal and Dr Strangelove the Cold War, Four Lions does for the modern face of terrorism. In a British city, four men have a secret plan. Omar (Riz Ahmed) is disillusioned about the treatment of Muslims around the world and is determined to become a soldier. This is the most exciting idea Waj (Kayvan Novak) has ever heard. Better still it’s a no brainer because Omar does his thinking for him. Opposed to Omar and everyone else on earth is the white Islamic convert Barry (Nigel Lindsay). He’d realise he joined the cell to channel his nihilism - if he had half the self knowledge of a duck. Faisal (Adeel Akhtar) is the odd man out. He can make a bomb – but he can’t blow himself up just now coz his sick dad has “started eating newspaper”. Instead he’s training crows to fly bombs through windows. This is what Omar has to deal with. They must strike a decisive blow on their own turf but can any of them strike a match without punching himself in the face? Four Lions plunges us beyond seeing these young men as unfathomably alien. It undermines the folly of just wishing them away or, even worse, alienating the entire culture from which they emerge. The film is neither pro nor anti religious. The jokes fly out of the characters’ conflicts, excesses and mistakes. Crackling with wit and tension, Four Lions is the essential response to our failure to engage with reality and a high toast to the idea that laughter is better than killing.

Cast

• Riz Ahmed, Arsher Ali, Nigel Lindsay, Kayvan Novak, Adeel Akhtar, Julia Davis

Crew

• Producer(s): Mark Herbert, Derrin Schlesinger
• Director(s): Christopher Morris
• Screenplay: Christopher Morris, Sam Bain, Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell
• DP: Lol Crawley
• Editing: Billy Sneddon
• Set Design: Dick Lunn

• Genre(s): Comedy


• Production company: BOILERPLATE LIMITED
• Production date: 2009
• Language: English
• Duration: 94 min
• Image Ratio: 1.85
• Sound Info: Dolby SRD

• Sundance Film Festival 2010
  
• BAFTA Awards 2011
  Award(s) : Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer
• British Independent Film Awards 2010 - Nominated
  Award(s) : Best British Independent Film, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor
• Sao Paulo Mostra Internacional de Cinema 2010
  Award(s) : Critics' Award
• SXSW 2010
  
• Fantasy Filmfest 2010
  
• Athens International Film Festival 2010
  
• Goa - International Film Festival of India 2010
  
• Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival 2011
  
• Beijing International Film Festival 2011
  
• Hawaii International Film Festival 2010
  Award(s) : Best Film
• Karlovy Vary International Film Festival 2010
  Award(s) : Independent Camera
• Sydney Film Festival 2010