Azernews.Az

Laman Ismayilova

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Released in December 2025, the American thriller "Not Without Hope" opens with a powerful quote from the renowned Azerbaijani poet and philosopher Nizami Ganjavi: "In our hour of adversity, be not without hope, for crystal rain falls from the black clouds."

This poignant line sets the tone for the film, intertwining the theme of survival against all odds with the unwavering power of hope.

The film "Not Without Hope" was directed by Joe Carnahan, starring Zachary Levi as Nick Schuyler, the real-life sole survivor of a 2009 boating accident that took the lives of NFL football players Marquis Cooper and Corey Smith.

The film is adapted from the book "Not Without Hope" by Shuyler and Jerry Longman, first published in 2010. The story is based on the real-life harrowing experience of four friends stranded in the open sea after their fishing boat is caught in a violent storm in the Gulf of Mexico. The storm leads to a devastating shipwreck, and the friends must fight for their survival in an unforgiving environment, where every decision could be their last.

A failed search and rescue operation, due to the adverse weather conditions, leaves the friends with no option but to rely on their own wits, courage, and will to live. What sets the film apart is its raw portrayal of human resilience in the face of nature's indifference, as the characters battle the relentless forces of the sea and their own inner demons.

The use of Nizami Ganjavi's quote is no mere literary flourish but rather serves as the philosophical anchor of the film.

"Not Without Hope" is a film that reminds us that, in the most challenging of times. It shows as that hope is not just a feeling, it's a force that can shape destinies.

Just as Nizami Ganjavi so profoundly expressed, even the darkest of clouds can give way to the crystal rain of hope. And sometimes, that hope is all we need to survive.