Running On Sand

Israel
104 minutes
Hebrew, English – English subtitles
Genre: Drama, Comedy, Contemporary Society

Eritrean refugee Aumari is slated for deportation from Israel on a technicality. After ducking immigration authorities at the airport, he becomes the unlikely and very perplexed recipient of a hero’s welcome. He is mistaken for an eagerly anticipated Nigerian soccer player who is supposed to arrive at the same time, Though lacking a fundamental knowledge of the sport, he finds himself the face of the franchise. Caught between his new identity as the up-and-coming star invigorating the team and fanbase, and his true identity as a refugee with expired papers, Aumari must keep his identity under wraps long enough to secure safe passage out of the country to reunite with his beloved younger brother.  

Winner of San Francisco Jewish Film Festival Best Narrative Feature, Winner of Best Screenplay and Best Feature Film at Haifa International Film Festival, Winner of Best Feature at Stony Brook Film Festival.