Asylum Seeker Drama from BAFTA Winner Hassan Akkad Released by Deadbeat Studios

A new film from director Hassan Akkad sets out to examine the plight of asylum seekers in the UK through the eyes of one young man, MATAR, struggling to stay afloat on the streets of London.

Drawing on the firsthand experiences of Akkad and cinematographer and co-creator Ayman Alhussein, the film was made in partnership with Choose Love and WaterBear Network.

Matar features an original score from Jamie Cullum and stars Ahmed Malik (The Swimmers), Elmi Rashid Elmi (Dune) and BAFTA nominated Youssef Kerkour. It is produced by Deadbeat's very own Sundance Award winner, Anthony Toma.

Director Akkad said of the film: “I loved making MATAR because I got to work with wonderful and dedicated people on it. Matar is my first directorial step in the film world. InshAllah, it won't be the last."

The premiere with WaterBear also marks the launch of Deadbeat’s new Impact team, whose aim is to champion asylum seekers and refugees here in the UK, through increasing access and inclusivity in the film industry.

Headed up by filmmaker and co-founder of the charity The Vavengers, Mabel Evans, Deadbeat Impact envisions the film medium as a global catalyst for social change.

Mabel said of their work on the project: “MATAR is a perfect example of beautiful art made with a fresh perspective. This project and subsequent projects we work on as a team hope to broaden the scope on what stories are being told, how and by who.”

You can watch MATAR and The Making of Film for free on WaterBear.