THE WAR WITHIN

Year: 2005
USA: Magnolia Pictures
Cast: Ayad Akhtar, Firdous Bamji, Nandana Sen, Sarita Choudhury, Charles Daniel Sandoval, Varun Sriram, Anjeli Chapman, John Ventimiglia, Mike McGlone, Aasif Mandvi, Ajay Naidu, Kamal Marayati, Wayman Ezell, James Rana, Christopher Castelo, Christine Commesso, John Zibell, Joseph Ascolese, Douglas Paretti, Michael Balsely, Robert Carroll, David Bishins, Angel Desai, Samrat Chakrabarti, Per Melita, Roy Farfel, Jeff Ward, Glenn Pike, Vanessa Londino, Deepti Gupta, Farah Bala, Deepa Purohit, Goli Samii, Troy Hall, David Connolly, Dianne Busch, Manni Siverio
Director: Joseph Castelo
Country: USA
Language: English / Urdu (English subtitles)
USA: 100 mins
USA Release Date: 7 October 2005 (Limited Release - wider)
USA Release Date: 30 September 2005 (Limited Release - New York)


Synopsis

HDNet Films' THE WAR WITHIN, directed and co-written by Joseph Castelo, is the story of Hassan (co-writer Ayad Akhtar in his debut performance), a Pakistani engineering student in Paris who is apprehended by Western intelligence services for suspected terrorist activities. Imprisoned and tortured, Hassan is provoked to action. Following his release he embarks upon a terrorist mission, surreptitiously entering the United States to join a cell based in New York City.

On the morning of the planned attack, all members of the cell are arrested except Hassan and the cell's charismatic leader, Khalid. Hassan takes refuge with Sayeed, an unsuspecting childhood friend, who is living the American dream with his family in New Jersey. As each day passes, Hassan finds himself torn between his religious beliefs and his growing feelings for Sayeed and his family. What unfolds is a profound human and political drama as we tensely observe Hassan's state of mind as he tries to decide whether or not to carry out his deadly mission.