is salmon fishing in the yemen a true story
The fish swim upstream and everyone celebrates the success of the project. Their enthusiasm is interrupted, however, when Harriet learns that her new boyfriend, British special forces Captain Robert Meyers (Tom Mison), is missing in action. Highly recommended! And surely there’s no salmon fishing in that desert nation? Based on the best-selling novel by Paul Torday, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen received its world premiere at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival.~Mark Deming. [15] Reshooting and water tank work was filmed at Black Hangar Studios in the UK. * The city of Mocha, a global coffee mecca through the 1700s, though it’s fallen into some disrepair in recent centuries. Harriet arranges for Alfred to meet the Sheikh (Amr Waked) at his estate in the Scottish Highlands. Salmon Fishing in the Yemen is a 2011 British romantic comedy-drama film directed by Lasse Hallström and starring Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt, Kristin Scott Thomas and Amr Waked. citizens currently in Yemen should depart.” In the United Kingdom, where The Telegraph is based, the government has issued a red warning telling Britons to “avoid all travel to the whole country.” Our own U.S. State Department, meanwhile, “urges U.S. citizens not to travel to Yemen,” adding that “U.S. Viewers who take the sheikh's advice and suspend their disbelief, even for a moment, may well find themselves hooked. [12] He also felt fortunate to get Kristin Scott Thomas to play the role of the bossy press secretary, Patricia Maxwell, recalling, "I knew she could be funny, as most actors can, but she brought that seriousness combined with a bit of heart. Alfred considers resigning rather than ruin his reputation in the scientific community, but is convinced by his wife that they need his income and pension. Although painfully shy,[Note 1] he enjoys working with Harriet and they begin to make progress. The epistolary novel won the 2007 Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize, and the 2008 Waverton Good Read Award. This article is about the film. And almost all of it comes courtesy of Sheikh Muhammad: The sheikh is a devout Muslim—who frequently talks about the intersection of faith and … fishing. [18], Hornaday found Salmon Fishing in the Yemen a "surprisingly lush, endearing little film, in which a swelling sense of romanticism thoroughly banishes even the most far-fetched improbabilities. [7] While the Sheikh acknowledges that the project may sound crazy, he still believes that fishing is a noble pursuit that promotes harmony and requires immense faith. [11] Where the novel focuses on political satire, the film is more about a man who decides to change direction in his life. Soon after, they return to the Yemen, where Harriet and Alfred continue to grow closer. "[9] Beaufoy noted, "That's the difference when reading the book. The critic consensus states: "Quirky and a little reserved, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen is nonetheless a charming little romantic drama sold by some strong central performances. All kidding aside, there really is plenty to see in Yemen: * The island of Socotra, where the New York Times sampled the frankincense trees and “tasted Christmas.” It’s true now, and it will have been true in 2007, when Salmon Fishing in the Yemen was first released. Read critic reviews You might also like Willing to spare no expense, he instructs his representative to turn his dream into reality, an extraordinary feat that will require the involvement of Britain's leading fisheries expert who happens to think the project both absurd and unachievable. [3] The film premiered at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival. Salmon Fishing in Yemen Review: True To Book But With New Delights. Slate is published by The Slate Group, a Graham Holdings Company. [6], As of June 2012, the film has grossed $34,564,651. The following day the fish are released from their holding tanks. The Sheikh is excited to meet Alfred as he is the inventor of the "Woolly Jones" fishing fly. Miracles Happen: Making Salmon Fishing in the Yemen ... the story was based on a true story. Alfred dismisses the project as "fundamentally unfeasible" because the Yemen cannot provide the necessary environment for salmon. ... Non-fishing readers will find it enjoyable, faintly moth-eaten and oddly thought-provoking. The most obvious difference is that his press secretary is a woman, played by Kristin Scott Thomas, whereas in the novel, the character is a man, Peter Maxwell. Correspondingly, is Salmon Fishing in the Yemen a true story? Alfred's boss, pressured by Patricia, forces Alfred to accept a position on the project. "[18] Well, that last fact hasn’t deterred a flood of new interest following the movie’s release, according to the Yemen Tourism Promotion Board. Still of Ewan McGregor and Emily Blunt in Salmon Fishing in the Yemen. After seeing this movie, I became convinced that Salmon Fishing in the Yemen was indeed possible, only to learn that, no, the movie was not based on a true story. As the two are fishing, a Yemeni radical attempts to assassinate the Sheikh, who is saved by Alfred casting his fishing line towards the assassin. Plot. The Scottish folksong "Mairi's Wedding" by The Clancy Brothers, which is played over one scene, and "Where You Go" by The Young Romans, the song played over the end credits, are not included on the album. PG-13 | 1h 47min | Comedy, Drama, Romance | 20 April 2012 (UK) 2:31 | Trailer. Now it has been made into a movie. [16], The film received generally favourable reviews from critics. Despite Fred’s protests, he soon finds himself working on a project that seems not only frivolous but absolutely unfeasible in the arid land of Yemen. Salmon Fishing in the Yemen is a debut comedy novel written by Paul Torday and published in 2007. "They brought the lightness and the humour to the material," Hallström later observed. Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, by Paul Torday A comic desert storm that's cast to type. It could have been a very short story, but in fact it made for a rather engaging novel. "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen" is based on Paul Torday's novel, a political satire that was a best-seller in the UK, and allows an opening into the worlds of British and Yemeni politics, the devotion of salmon fishermen, and the possibilities of romance among humans and salmon, who in this story must both swim upstream. "[12] For Hallström, it was that combination of humour and seriousness that allowed the actress to capture the balance between the film's sentiment and political satire. [9] In the novel, Jones is noticeably older than the film character, and the romantic subplot with Harriet is kept in the background because of the political satire. The second is that there’s no conventional narrative – the story is told through letters, emails, interviews and excerpts from Hansard. The film expanded to 483 cinemas by the end of March, when it had grossed over $3 million.[2]. Harriet asks if he will need a partner—and Alfred realises she is talking about herself. In his review for The Telegraph, Robbie Collins gave the film three out of five stars, calling it "cinema at its most easily digestible" with a cast that is as "unthreateningly attractive as its sense of humour is cosily inclusive. Not one to let an opportunity slip away, Yemen’s tourism board is also taking an active role in trying to reel in tourists. The Sheikh's house in Scotland was filmed at Ardverikie House. Turan praised the performances of Emily Blunt and Ewan McGregor, concluding ‘Salmon Fishing in the Yemen’ stars Ewan McGregor as Fred Jones, a fisheries expert who is approached by Harriet [Emily Blunt] with a plan to introduce salmon into the waterways of Yemen. Quirky and a little reserved, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen is nonetheless a charming little romantic drama sold by some strong central performances. The screenplay for Salmon Fishing in the Yemen was written by Simon Beaufoy, based on the novel by Paul Torday. File Name: salmon in … The late author Paul Torday wrote the novel, loosely based on a true story, in 1997. In her review for The Washington Post, Ann Hornaday gave the film two and a half out of four stars, calling the film an "absurdist but gently winning romantic comedy" that "works a strange kind of wonder". English-speaking audiences may recognise him as the fundamentalist Muslim cleric in the 2005 film Syriana and the HBO series House Of Saddam. Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. Guys, 'Salmon Fishing in the Yemen' Is Kind of Not Terrible ‘Salmon Fishing in the Yemen’ stars Ewan McGregor as Fred Jones, a fisheries expert who is approached by Harriet [Emily Blunt] with a plan to introduce salmon into the waterways of Yemen. A river that is dry for much of the year, in a desert climate. But in the end it turns sour, as the filmmakers' secular humanism kicks in. And one last note for interested tourists: Salmon Fishing in the Yemen was actually filmed in Morocco. [2], The film opened in 18 cinemas so in the United States on 9 March 2012, taking in $225,000 for the three-day weekend. For the novel, see, Alfred exhibits some symptoms associated with, "Shooting commences on Salmon Fishing in the Yemen", "Film Interview: Salmon Fishing in the Yemen", "Lasse Hallstrom Talks 'Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen actor Amr Waked on going against the current", "Interview: Ewan Mcgregor, Emily Blunt, Amr Waked, and Paul Webster", "Salmon fishing in Scotland: hooked on the Spey", "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen Original Motion Picture Soundtrack", "Movie review: 'Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, Association for Science in Autism Treatment, Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative, Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee, Maia Chung Autism and Disabilities Foundation (Jamaica), The Accidental Teacher: Life Lessons from My Silent Son, Aspergirls: Empowering Females with Asperger's Syndrome, Freaks, Geeks, and Asperger Syndrome: A User Guide to Adolescence, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Everybody Is Different: A Book for Young People Who Have Brothers or Sisters With Autism, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Salmon_Fishing_in_the_Yemen&oldid=1002631464, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Filipino-Canadian Autism Parent Support Group (Canada), This page was last edited on 25 January 2021, at 10:19. Based on the 2007 novel of the same name by Paul Torday, and a screenplay by Simon Beaufoy, the film is about a fisheries expert who is recruited by a consultant to help realize a sheikh's vision of bringing the sport of fly fishing to the Yemen desert, initiating an upstream journey of faith to make the impossible possible. "[19], The film received some negative reviews. Sometimes when you’re adapting something classic and famous you have to adopt a different attitude, to something like Salmon Fishing where it had such an unusual narrative and such an unusual structure, that you got quite a free reign [sic] to do interesting things with it. The original soundtrack album was released on 20 March 2012 by Lakeshore Records. * Tribal kidnappings of foreign tourists * Somali pirates (known to refuel in Socotra) Devastated, Harriet withdraws to her apartment. The Sheikh blames himself for the tragedy, and vows to rebuild—this time with the support of the local community. She approaches Alfred to say goodbye, where he tearfully wishes her luck as he ponders what to do next. [18] Hornaday praised the director's "assured hand and feather-light touch", as well as the acting performances by Ewan McGregor and Emily Blunt, who finds "an easygoing rhythm with her leading man". This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Peter Bradshaw from The Guardian, who gave the film two out of five stars, wrote that it "feels as if you've seen it many times before". The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. reminds us to push past tweetable quotes and ‘big talk’ to practice true Christlike love. Spiritual Elements. For an unassuming romantic dramedy, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen includes a lot of spiritual content. * The walled city of Shibam, nicknamed “the Manhattan of the desert.” Science says no. After a confrontation with his wife in which he realises that their marriage is over and that he is in love with Harriet, Alfred convinces the Sheikh to give the farmed salmon a try. Excellent cinematography and a great BluRay release. At a press conference in the Yemen, with the Foreign Secretary, Patricia reunites Harriet with her boyfriend Robert who has survived the counter-terrorism operation. But if resources are limitless and the visionary is inspired, maybe salmon fishing in the Yemen isn’t impossible. Why was it called “the Yemen”? On the contrary, on the surface it’s a love story. Cinemagoers to Salmon Fishing in the Yemen in the United Kingdom have also been treated with a 30 second advertisement, depicting the nation as a prime getaway for “scuba diving, paragliding,” and “colorful culture.” The ad also reportedly highlights recent “increased serenity” in the region. After his wife accepts a position in Geneva, Alfred devotes himself to the salmon project. The story is based around a Yemeni sheik who loves salmon fishing, and enlists the (initially rather unwilling) help of a British fisheries expert to bring salmon to a river in the Yemen. The first is plot. fallen into some disrepair in recent centuries, whose patterned-brick towers really are quite beautiful, Somali pirates (known to refuel in Socotra). The film, based on a true story, concerns the budding romance between a fussy fisheries professor ( Ewan McGregor) and a freewheeling British consultant ( Emily Blunt) as they embark on a … "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen" is a pleasantly quirky, intermittently corny British love story that has a pleasing, novelistic sprawl. Succeeds where many recent adaptations (read: One Day) completely fail, in that it, ending aside, it stays true … That night, Harriet realises her feelings for Robert have changed, and when Alfred gets a text message from his wife asking him to return, he declines. Some adventurous travelers may be able to enjoy Yemen safely, but it’s probably not advisable for the average weekend fisherman or moviegoer. Principal photography started on 6 August 2010. After a moonlight swim, he asks her if there was a "theoretical possibility" of the two of them ending up together. For a while, "Salmon Fishing on the Yemen" truly has a lot going for it. Salmon Fishing in the Yemen. In his review in the Los Angeles Times, Kenneth Turan called the film a "pleasant fantasy" and a "charming film whose few attempts at seriousness are best forgotten or ignored." The cast is good, it's got an interesting plot and some decent laughs. * Civil unrest All contents © 2021 The Slate Group LLC. In 2012, the film was nominated for the European Film Awards People's Choice Award. Alfred resigns his government job to continue with the project. Through a series of letters and documents, Torday creates a political satire that focused more on the "art of political spin" than on the force of the human spirit. The film was also nominated for three Golden Globe Awards including Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical, Best Actor - Comedy or Musical for McGregor, and Best Actress - Comedy or Musical for Blunt. The film, based on a true story , concerns the budding romance between a fussy fisheries professor (Ewan McGregor) and a freewheeling British consultant (Emily Blunt) as they embark on a somewhat unlikely plan to bring salmon to the hot sands of the Yemen . Alfred meets with Harriet to discuss the project, but despite Harriet correcting his misconceptions of the Yemen environment, Alfred is convinced that the project is foolhardy. Beaufoy acknowledged, "I just love adapting material that allows room for creativity and allows room for me to be very present in the process, I suppose. Meanwhile, the Sheikh continues his work, despite radicals who accuse him of introducing Western ways to their region. They embrace, and then hold hands while looking out over the river. On the other hand, prospective tourists should also be mindful of: * Al-Qaida safe havens She accepts with a kiss on his cheek, but says she will need some time. [18] Hornaday continued: It's the serendipity of creative juxtaposition that Hallström is clearly after in Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, from Scott Thomas spiking the honey with dollops of venom to the fabulous kilts and kaffiyehs worn by the sheik's bodyguards at his rustic Scottish redoubt. Here's the run down on the movie story line: “From the beloved director of Chocolat and the Oscar®-winning screenwriter of SlumdogMillionaire comes the inspirational comedy Salmon Fishing in the Yemen. Change ). Alfred tells Harriet he will indeed stay and help them rebuild. "[9], For director Lasse Hallström, Ewan McGregor and Emily Blunt were his "first choices" to play the leading roles. The film received generally favourable reviews from critics. The Sheikh does not believe that salmon bred in captivity will survive and rejects Patricia's offer, ending the British Government's involvement in the project.