(Zaman Al Wasl)- Canadian filmmaker, Jonathan Keijser, is about to end his film Peace by Chocolate, which spotlight the journey of "Hodhod" family in success and fame in the chocolate industry, since the opening of its first factory in a suburb of Damascus in 1986, and the export of its products to Germany, Sweden, Lebanon, Turkey and Iraq And Jordan before the war years. It also includes the bombing on the factory in late 2012.
The film also talked about the period of starting from scratch after the immigration of the family to Canada and adjusting to life in the small-town Nova Scotia while rebuilding the family's legacy in a new country, supported by the Canadian society, even though they only had their expertise, passion and hope.
Ayham Abou Ammar, the Syrian artist who portrays Tareq Hadhad in the film, told Zaman al-Wasl that he learned of the director's intention to make that movie coincidentally through a friend.
He said that Keijser decided to let him join the team of the movie from the first moment of their meeting, when he presented his artistic career. Keijser suggested him to embody Tariq's character, then he signed the contract two weeks before the start of filming.
Ayham said that he had to work on the character and memorize his role in a very short time, which is challenging. He added that the most difficult thing is that the real character is alive and not a fictional or absent character, “he even attended the filming with all his family”.
Ayham told us about the understanding and harmony that arose between him and Keijser, who studied music as well as filmmaking. They often mixed the terms of drama with music and poetry in performance and content to obtain the desired result.
Abou Ammar revealed that he communicated with the real character, and tried as much as possible to explore many details in his life and daily behavior in order to be able to embody the character with professionalism and artistic sincerity.
He also watched videos on "YouTube" and "Ted" to get to know the character, and also watched a documentary film by the same director entitled "Brothers" talks about the beginnings of the success of "Issam Hodhod" and businessman "Frank", who is credited with starting the family with its first factory, which later became a large and famous factory in the United States, Canada and Europe.
"Peace by Chocolate" talks about "Tariq," who studies medicine in Syria, and with the outbreak of the war and the destruction of his father's factory, he had no choice but to leave to fulfill his dream of studying medicine and finding a safer place for the family.
The focus of the conflict in the film is about Tariq’s options, age, and experience in life, which are different from the choices, age and experience of his father. Our soker added that the film also highlights Canada, the host country that allowed, for each member of the self-made family to discover the limits of his personality and capabilities and what he can submit on a personal and public level.
Abu Ammar, who lives in Montreal since 2018, pointed to many difficulties and challenges that faced the film team, most notably of which are Syrians new arrivals, including the language, where the text of the film was in English by 70% and 30% in Arabic. The other difficult thing was the cold and snow when filming outside.
Although filming was in the city of Montreal, and some of the film's team came from Quebec, they worked with passion and dedication to the profession and the story. Everyone was touched by the story in one way or another, as Syrians as Canadian citizens, who are accustomed to welcoming migrants and refugees and allowing them success and distinction.
Abu Ammar praised the participation and performance of the artist "Hatem Ali", who is one of the most important actors in Syria, although he chose to spend the longest time behind the camera, but this did not diminish the magic of his performance as an actor. As for the artist, Yara Sabry, working with her and the famed director and actor Hatem Ali was a dream that came true.
Abu Ammar said that the movie "Peace by Chocolate '' is about every successful Syrian, not just about Hadhad’s family.
Adding that the real age of the Syrians is much greater than what is written in their identification documents, they actually carry a history, adherence to life, love, truth and beauty.
Ayham Abu Ammar, a Syrian artist born in the city of As-Suwayda in 1984, graduated from the Higher Institute of Music in Damascus (Department of Oriental Music) and specialized in Arab singing in 2011-2012.
He is a multi-talented artist, he is a singer, oud player, and actor who has played many theatrical roles since 1996, and he participated in more than 30 plays through the HAKAYA band between 1996 - 2004, and participated in many series including Abu Khalil Al-Qabbani Directed by "Enas Hakki" and "The Roof of the World" - directed by "Najdat Anzour" and in the "Asmahan" series, where he performed two of the most famous songs of her late brother Farid al-Atrash.
As an effective musician, Ayham participated in many festivals in Syria, Germany, Italy, Hungary, Tunisia, Qatar, Egypt and Lebanon - and he won the first prize in the oriental singing program in the star search program in 2004 on "MBC" television, and he has experience in teaching oud music in the "Jalila Cultural Center" For children in Dubai, and experience as a singer in the Dubai Opera.
Zaman Al Wasl
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