Apple’s coming-of-age drama about a Pakistani American teenager will land on Apple TV+ and in theaters just in time for award season.
Hala, the first narrative feature film Apple bought, will premiere on the streaming service on December 6. That’s just two weeks after The Banker lands on Apple TV+. To hype up the release date, Apple published the first full-length trailer for Hala. The movie follows a girl who goes from picking up skateboarding to falling in love for the first time. Meanwhile, her Pakistani family starts unraveling.
See the Hala tailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aS-qGHH6E0
Written and directed by Minhal Baig, Hala was a selection of the 2019 Sundance Film Festival and at the 2019 Toronto Film Festival. Jada Pinkett Smith executive-produced the film. Apple previously Hala will enjoy a limited theatrical release on November 22.
Here’s the official description from Apple:
“Seventeen-year-old Pakistani American teenager Hala (Geraldine Viswanathan) struggles to balance desire with her familial, cultural and religious obligations. As she comes into her own, she grapples with a secret that threatens to unravel her family.”
The Hollywood Reporter offers a few more details on the plot, saying Hala finds out that her father is prepared to arrange her marriage, per family customs. Everything unfolds right before Hala’s high school graduation. As her sexual desire kicks in, she meets a skater boy named Jesse who shares her love for poetry.
The film received a “spirited reception” when it played earlier this year at Sundance, prompting Apple to quickly scoop it up. Details on how much the company paid for the rights remain secret.
