Amman, May 18 - The Cinema Committee at Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation will screen the Italian Romanian film “Parada” by director Marco Pontecorvo tomorrow (Tuesday) at 6:30 PM at the Foundation’s cinema hall in Jabal Amman.
Parada is Pontecorvo’s directorial debut, following his work as a cinematographer on several award-winning international films. The 1-hour-40-minute film follows “Miloud,” a young clown of Algerian origin living in Paris, who travels to Bucharest to work with an international charity supporting street children. Over time, he builds trust with them and, despite resistance from corrupt officials, manages after a year to organize a live performance with the children in one of the city’s squares. In 1996, he goes on to establish the “Fundatia Parada,” a charity dedicated to supporting homeless children across Europe.
Based on a true story, the film portrays life on the streets of Bucharest in 1992 and highlights Miloud’s efforts to help orphaned children earn a living with dignity through performance, protecting them from exploitation.
Set in the years following the fall of the Romanian regime, the film also reflects the country’s difficult conditions at the time, including poverty, corruption, and economic hardship. Through powerful visual storytelling, Pontecorvo captures these contrasts, offering striking and sometimes unsettling imagery.
Miloud’s journey reveals themes of compassion, resilience, and the struggle to restore dignity, as he helps transform vulnerable children into performers who later participate in shows and international film festivals. Ultimately, the film presents a poignant story of resistance, humanity, and the pursuit of joy—showing how even a smile can carry deep pain.