Farouk Kassam, 'the series about my abduction helps me cope with the trauma'
Farouk Kassam, now 42 years old, reflects on his childhood experience of being kidnapped in Sardinia in 1992 at age seven, where he was held captive for nearly six months and suffered partial ear damage to expedite the ransom payment. He discusses how creating the TV series '177 Giorni. Il rapimento di Farouk,' directed by Carlo Carlei and starring Marco Bocci and Antonia Desplat, has helped him process the trauma. The series, based on the book 'Mio Figlio Farouk. Anatomia di un rapimento' by his father Fateh Kassam and co-written by Marco Corrias, premiered at the Rome Film Festival and will air on Rai 1 starting November 16. Kassam, who is now a businessman, collaborated closely with the production team, including producers and actors, during the development of the series.
Farouk Kassam has described his involvement in a new television series about his childhood kidnapping as a method for confronting long buried fears. The production, titled 177 Days: The Kidnapping of Farouk, premiered at the Rome Film Festival and will air on Rai 1 starting November 16. Kassam, who is now 42 years old, was abducted in Sardinia in 1992 while he was seven years old. He remained a prisoner for 177 days, a period during which part of his ear was cut off to pressure his family into paying the ransom faster. The series is directed by Carlo Carlei and stars Marco Bocci and Antonia Desplat as the boy’s parents, Fateh Kassam and Marion Bleriot. The cast also includes Filippo Papa, Rosa Diletta Rossi, Domenico Diele, Mauro Addis, Andrea Tedde, Giacomo Fadda, Rose Aste, Leonardo Capuano, Enrico Inserra, and Stefania Olivicore. The narrative is based on the book My Son Farouk: Anatomy of a Kidnapping, written by Fateh Kassam with collaboration from Marco Corrias. Production credits go to Rai Fiction and Bim Produzione, a company within the Wild Bunch group. Kassam stated that producer Riccardo Russo insisted he join the project five years ago. Although initially difficult, Kassam viewed the experience differently from making a documentary or standard TV program, noting that a series requires representing reality accurately. He met with the working group and actors multiple times to discuss the story. Kassam, who works as an entrepreneur, admitted he could have utilized his availability more extensively for the cast but accepted the final outcome. He characterized the process as a recurring way to face the trauma of his early life, helping him grow and manage his anxieties. The show revisits the high profile crime that occurred under the watchful eyes of his parents and younger sister.
Farouk Kassam, who was kidnapped in Sardinia at age seven and held captive for 177 days, has shared his experience through a television series set to air on Rai 1 starting November 16. The project, which was presented at the Rome Film Festival, involved Kassam directly participating in the production. He described the process as a way to confront his childhood trauma and deal with his fears. The series aims to depict reality accurately, according to Kassam, though he initially found it challenging to engage with such a personal and intense portrayal of his past.
Bias read (Center): The article focuses on a personal story of kidnapping and trauma, with no explicit political commentary, framing, or controversy. It discusses a cultural project involving a television series but does not take a stance on any political issue or debate.
Farouk Kassam, now 42 years old, reflects on his childhood experience of being kidnapped in Sardinia in 1992 at age seven, where he was held captive for nearly six months and suffered partial ear damage to expedite the ransom payment. He discusses how creating the TV series '177 Giorni. Il rapimento di Farouk,' directed by Carlo Carlei and starring Marco Bocci and Antonia Desplat, has helped him process the trauma. The series, based on the book 'Mio Figlio Farouk. Anatomia di un rapimento' by his father Fateh Kassam and co-written by Marco Corrias, premiered at the Rome Film Festival and will air on Rai 1 starting November 16. Kassam, who is now a businessman, collaborated closely with the production team, including producers and actors, during the development of the series.
Bias read (Center): The article focuses on a cultural project related to a personal traumatic event and does not involve any political controversy, debate, or policy discussion. It provides a balanced account of the individual's perspective and the creative process behind the series without showing bias toward any side
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