Synopsis |
"The Runner is an excellent and necessary way of telling the 'forgotten' story of Western Sahara." "This is a very important project. The story of the Western Sahara is one of the great untold stories of the present time." The Runner is also kindly supported by
The Runner is a film about endurance. It is the story of a champion long-distance runner whose journey transformed him from an athlete into the symbol of a national liberation movement. Salah Ameidan is willing to risk his life, his career, his family and his nationality to run for a country that doesn't exist. He is from Western Sahara, officially Africa's last colony and under Moroccan occupation since 1975. As he approached the end of an 8km race in first place, he pulled out a Sahrawi flag - illegal in Morocco and a symbol of the independence movement - and waved it across the finish line. Knowing he could never return to Morocco safely, he immediately sought political asylum in France and has been there ever since. He was offered citizenship by France and Spain, but refused both, saying he would never run under any flag but that of a liberated Western Sahara. Salah insists, whenever possible, on representing the Western Sahara in competition. Today, he is not only one of the highest profile Sahrawi activists in the world, but is seen by his people as a hero, a symbol, an ambassador and a spokesman for the Western Sahara liberation movement. "Running is part of my resistance. It's the only weapon I have." Salah has paid heavily for his activism. When still in Morocco, his family home was repeatedly raided. He was blindfolded, taken to prison, interrogated and tortured. Since moving to France, he has been attacked four times by people opposed to his campaigning. Three members of his family have been imprisoned for non-violent resistance in Moroccan-controlled Western Sahara, and his uncle was recently killed by Moroccan police under suspicious circumstances. He has no citizenship, and because he is too controversial for major sponsors, he survives on race winnings and the support of charities. The Runner tells the story of Salah, his unique form of protest and the price he pays for his continued resistance to Moroccan occupation. The film asks how long he can go on in the face of immense challenges and closely follows both his successes and his failures. Salah is now at a critical point in his life: two trajectories are about to clash. As he becomes more successful as an athlete and more recognised as a national liberation hero, he puts himself and his family in more danger. The Runner follows Salah at this crucial time, and examines what drives him to take immense risks, and make huge sacrifices, for a cause that is virtually unknown. The film looks at the burden of being a hero and asks "how long, before you stop running"? Director & Cinematographer: Saeed Taji Farouky If you want to help us make The Runner, you can easily support the production. Non-US residents can use this PayPal link:
|
