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TAMING A SEAHORSE

A tired cab driver's spirit is tested early into his night shift when he picks up an unusual customer.

  • RAZA TARIQ
    Director
    PEACE AND LOVE, Riḍā
  • RAZA TARIQ
    Writer
    PEACE AND LOVE, Riḍā
  • Amy Lotherington
    Producer
    Kindling, Mr. Alan on Saturday
  • Calam Lynch
    Key Cast
    "Nathan"
    Bridgerton, Benediction, Dunkirk
  • Kobna Holdbrook-Smith
    Key Cast
    "Solomon"
    Justice League, Paddington 2, Wonka
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Drama, Thriller
  • Runtime:
    16 minutes 7 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    January 16, 2022
  • Production Budget:
    13,000 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    ARRI Alexa Mini
  • Aspect Ratio:
    1:78
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Distribution Information
  • PREM1ERE FILM
    Sales Agent
    Country: Worldwide
Director Biography - RAZA TARIQ

Raza Tariq is an Artist and Filmmaker from London with a focus on writing and directing contemporary spiritual narratives. He recently completed a major short of his "TAMING A SEAHORSE" and is now developing his feature debut with the support of the Soho House Foundation: "SPITTING FEATHERS", following two boys as they are pushed towards manhood by the unhealed scars of their concrete home.

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Director Statement

MY AFFECT TOWARDS THIS PIECE AND ITS CAUSE HAS EVOLVED OVER TIME.. EVERY IDEA IS BORNE OUT OF A FEELING, AN UNCONSCIOUS AND INDISCRIMINATE INCLINATION THAT ‘SOMETHING’ METAPHYSICAL IS PRESENT IN A MOMENT. THIS FILM FIRST CAME TO ME IN 2018 DURING UBER JOURNEYS I WOULD TAKE WITH MY DAD. I SAW TWO MEN EMOTIONALLY AND SPIRITUALLY HIJACKED FOR THE PERIOD OF A SHORT UBER JOURNEY, NOT KNOWING ANYTHING OF EACHOTHER BEFORE OR AFTER. I WAS VERY MUCH WITNESSING THE WORLD FROM A THIRD-PERSON PERSPECTIVE, AND THIS CARRIED OVER WHEN I APPROACHED THIS FEELING AND IMPOSED THE PERSONAL CURIOSITY I MUST HAVE FELT AT THE TIME, FEELING SOMEWHAT SPIRITUALLY UPROOTED INTO A TIME AND PLACE OF IGNORANCE, UPON THE WRITING.

THE VERY NATURE OF SENTIENCY NECESSITATES RESPONSIBILITY FOR EACHOTHER, YET I SEEMED TO FEEL A WANING OF REASON IN PEOPLE’S ACTIONS ACROSS SOCIETY. WE WERE WITNESSING EACH OTHER WITHOUT REALLY CARING TO SEE EACH OTHER OR MORE IMPORTANTLY WHAT ISN’T IN THE OPEN. THE FILM STARTED IN MY HEAD AS A MORALLY DIDACTIC PIECE BUT OVER TIME I THINK THE CENTRAL QUESTIONS EXPANDED FAR BEYOND THAT.

DOES NATHAN, A CUSTOMER OF FOREIGN INTENT IN THE BACK OF SOLOMON, A GHANAIAN UBER DRIVER’S CAR MERIT THE MORAL RESPONSIBILITY WHEN HE IS AN IMAGE OF EVERYTHING SOLOMON IS WORKING TO EVADE? ALSO IS BEING SELFISH PERHAPS A NECESSARY STEP TO SUCCEED IN THE CAPITALIST PARADIGM, DOES THIS THEN MAKE AN INTRINSICALLY IMMORAL DECISION A MORAL ONE IF IT IS MENDING AN OTHERWISE BROKEN STATE OF BEING? AFTER ALL GHANA WAS THE FIRST COLONY IN AFRICA TO GAIN INDEPENDENCE…

SPIRITUALLY, AND PRIMARILY, THE FILM IS A STORY OF EVASION. SOLOMON IS NOT ONLY EVADING WRONG BY BEING CONSCIOUSLY BLIND TO IT, BUT HE IS ALSO EVADING HIMSELF BY LIVING OUT THIS CONSCIOUS BLINDNESS. HE GOES BY AN ANGLICISED PRONUNCIATION OF HIS NAME, HE HIDES HIS PRAYER MAT IN THE BACK OF HIS CAR AND STUFFS HIS ISLAMIC ORNAMENTS IN THE FRONT OF HIS CAR, YET DESPITE HIS BLINDNESS HE IS CONSTANTLY BEING WATCHED AND SUFFOCATED NOT ONLY BY THE CUSTOMER, CULTURE, AND CAR BUT BY THE GOD HE SEEKS TO EVADE. UNDER SUCH SCRUTINY DO WE MAKE OR BREAK? AND WHAT DOES IT EVEN MEAN TO DO SO?