The documentary film trilogy "The Sons of Sinbad"

Who were the sons of Sinbad? What were their achievements? What is their legacy? The German-Omani team led by director Friedrich Klütsch, Juma Al-Maskari, Georg Popp and Mohammed Al-Mamari investigated the answers to these questions over a period of three years, following in the footsteps of Oman's impressive and largely unknown history.

The film visited archives in Oman, Portugal, Zanzibar and China, interviewed experts around the world and recreated key events at the original locations. Wherever possible, filming took place in the respective historical locations or was recreated with the advice of experts. However, the focus of the film production was not on the accuracy of the costumes and objects, but rather on the portrayal of specific traits and attitudes that permeate Omani history.

The various episodes reflect the openness and tolerance of a people who have learnt to interact peacefully with different cultures and religions through maritime trade over the centuries.

➤ Link to the film trailers and films

➤ Link to the "Making of" (English)

In the making lies the message

The trilogy "The Söhne of Sinbad" is intended for everyone, whether from the Eastern or Western hemisphere. It is about the people, their way of thinking and, above all, their shared values. It is a departure from the Eurocentric perspective - an attempt to bring together Western and Eastern perspectives to create a new way of looking at history. It is the presentation of the little-known Islamic school of Ibadhiyah, which played an important role in the spread of Islam in East Africa and the Far East.

However, we did not only want to present the past, but above all to show the continuation of historical memory in the present day.

We therefore consciously decided not to engage any professional actors. Instead, the amateurs involved set off with the viewer on the trail of their own cultural identity. Over 120 people, more than half of them from Oman, were involved in the filming of this trilogy, and the success of this German-Omani production shows that constructive cooperation between East and West is entirely possible, despite widespread prejudices.

Episode 1: THE MONSOON EMPIRE
Arab chronicles tell of the merchant and scholar Abu Ubayda Al Qassim, who travelled the maritime Silk Road between Oman and China in the middle of the 8th century.

Episode 2: THE SEAWAY TO INDIA
At the beginning of the 16th century, the Portuguese reach the coast of Oman. The question is asked about the circumstances that made it possible for a few hundred invaders to conquer important ports and trading centres and hold them for more than a century. From 1622, resistance began to form, which not only united the tribes of Oman by the middle of the 17th century, but also ended with the complete conquest of the occupied territories.

Episode 3: THE MAGIC OF SANSIBARS
At the beginning of the 19th century, Sayyid Said bin Sultan adds large parts of the Swahili coast of East Africa to his territory. Oman becomes a large empire with parts of the country 3000 nautical miles apart. The territory is governed with the help of the ruler's sword and ships, which are dependent on the winds of the monsoon until the invention of steam navigation. The third part of the Sinbad trilogy explores the question of whether the unity of the Omani empire can endure in the face of internal and external threats.