New Iranian film tackles old story: Imam Hussein and Ashura

Imam Hussein depicted facing his barbaric death that inspired years of mourning thereafter in the story of 'Ashura'.

An Iranian cinematographer is making a film on the life of Imam Hussein, third Shiite Muslim's Imam, starring foreign actors.

The 150-minute film dubbed "He Who Said No" is the newest project by Ahmad Reza Darwish which has host 71 actors and actresses.

Jamal Suleiman, Talhat Hamdi, Rezwan Aghili, Fouad Srour from Syria, Dawood Hussein from Kuwait, Yusuf Shekarchi from Iraq and Fouad Ibrahim from Lebanon are foreign actors joining the project.

Ahmadreza Darwish has wrote a note on the film that, "The unique story of Karbala has manifested itself in social, cross-national and traditional forms after centuries and the reflection of Imam Hussesin's voice gives the promise of justice, freedom-seeking and dignity to the humanity."

The editing phase of the project has been accomplished and sound and music parts of the film are now being worked on. The project has employed computer-generated imagery techniques. Darwish's movie was edited by Tariq Anwar who was nominated for Academy Awards editing prize in 2010. All post-productions phases of the project are being conducted in a studio in London.

The film narrates a historical period from death of Muawiyah, the first Caliph of the Umayyad Dynasty, to martyr of Imam Hussesin in the Day of Ashura.