Friday, November 11, 2005

A Star is Dead!


The Syrian American Director, Mustafa Akkad, died on Friday alongside his daughter, of wounds sustained during the recent terrorist bombings in Amman. He was 70 years old.

I have only met Mr. Akkad once in my life, but he was a close friend of my mother's who had collaborated with him in one of his most ambitious project: a movie called The Message which deals with the life of Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam. In the US, however, Mr. Akkad was better known for being the producer of all eight episodes of the well-known Halloween movie series.

And so, and as per his request, Mr. Akkad seems headed for burial in Syria and, to be more specific, in his hometown of Aleppo, a city for which he has never lost his passion. He will be well-received. Syria is fast becoming a good burial place for talents, hopes and dreams.