The Libya (2019)

Directed by: Shady El-Hamus | 102 minutes | comedy, drama | Actors: Bilal Wahib, Daniel Kolf, Oussama Ahammoud, Vera Bulder, Gijs Blom, Pieter Bouwman, Manousha Zeegelaar Breeveld, Steef Cuijpers, Isabella Depeweg, Diana Dee Doeves, Maisam El Idrissi, Sabri Saad El-Hamus, Kendrick Etmon, Julliard Frans, Martijn Hillenius, Thomas Höppener, Nadja Hüpscher, Michiel Kerbosch, Lykele Muus, Chris Peters, Richelle Plantinga, Guido Pollemans, Camilla Siegertsz, Stefanie van Leersum, Cherif Zaouali

‘The Libi’ revolves around three friends. Bilal, Gregg and Kevin attend a VMBO school in Amsterdam. The final exam is approaching, but the boys have something different about their beautiful faces. Bilal dreams of a career as a hip-hopper. Gregg will probably be his manager (that Gregg’s mother is constantly nagging the boy to get that HAVO registration in order, he conveniently forgets). Kevin is in love with Samira, a girl in their class. But he doesn’t see him. When Bilal and Gregg are allowed to leave class after an argument with the art teacher, the two see the opportunity for a day of truancy, à la ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’.

Not long after, the day takes on an unexpected goal. At the invitation of the nice student Jessie, whom Bilal tries in vain to impress – because she is years further in life experience and immediately sees through his tough talk – the boys must try to gain access to the Jimmy Woo. Of course, the chance that they will be allowed in there is virtually nil, because you have to be on a guest list. But Kevin’s half-brother may know someone who can take care of that, so Kevin is pulled out of class by the boys with a clever ruse.

What follows is an adventurous quest through Amsterdam, in which one of the boys is mistakenly mistaken for a drug dealer and is arrested by the police. Prostitutes are visited, drug parties crash, quarrels are made and dreams are spoken. Will Bilal see his Jessie again? To ask the question is to answer it.

‘De Libi’ is a smooth, energetic and, moreover, funny feel-good film with lifelike characters. That the actors did not have to dig very deep to put down these roles is not a bad thing, but it pays off here. The charm explodes and the chemistry between the boys is sparkling. Not a film for cynics, but for people – in all age groups and walks of life – who can appreciate the zest for life in others and who recognize themselves in that feeling of having infinite possibilities when you are young.