World Premiere

52 Blue

ALI EL ARABI
India, Egypt, 2025
91 minutes, Color

In Person: Director Ali El Arabi and the cast

Award-winning director Ali El Arabi returns again to Filmfest DC (Captains of Zaatari, Filmfest DC 2021) with 52 Blue, the story of Ashish, a young man breaking free into the big city to meet his idol, Messi, at the World Cup in Qatar. When he lies to his family, pretending that he was chosen as India's representative for the Soccer World Cup, he embarks on an initiatory journey that leads him from the peaceful and sheltered bubble of his small Indian city to a stadium worker job backstage, where he learns to face both himself and the world for the first time.—Various sources

In English, Malayalam, and Hindi with English subtitles

Reception immediately following Q&A at Clyde's of Gallery Place (entrance located in the same building as Regal, on the second level).