The Dream of Shahrazad

Name: The Dream of Shahrazad
Genre: Documentary, Drama, History
Released: 2014
Duration: 110 min

Director: Francois Verster

Rights:

Highlights

This richly kaleidoscopic film is an observational documentary, concert film, political meditation, and visual translation of an ever-popular symphonic and literary classic.
Filming took place between 2010 and 2012 and ran parallel to the events of the Arab Spring in Egypt and Turkey.
Received support from six film funding institutions and won more than six awards from international film festivals.
François Verster is an independent Emmy awarded filmmaker.

2014/ South Africa110 min/ Documentary, Drama, History

Original Title

Helm Shahrazad

SYNOPSIS

The Dream of Shahrazad explores recent social and political events in Egypt, Turkey and Lebanon through the famous story collection, The 1001 Nights (aka Arabian Nights), using the fabled storytelling princess Shahrazad as a metaphor to explore how creativity and political articulation can stand against oppression. Weaving together a web of music, politics and storytelling, the film follows a series of unforgettable characters, all of whom draw their inspiration from The 1001 Nights.

CREW

Screenwriter: Francois Verster
DOP: Francois Verster
Editor: Francois Verster

Production Company(ies)

Middle West Films
Undercurrent Film and Television
Fireworx Media
Melia Films
Hakaya Regional Network

Producer(s)

Shameela Seedat
Neil Brandt
Wael Omar
Lucas Rosant
Didem Pekum
Fleur Knopperts

Amsterdam International Documentary Film Festival, Netherlands

Human Rights Watch Film Festival in London, UK

Downtown Contemporary Arts Festival (D-CAF), Egypt

Arab Film Festival, Brazil

Sunny Side of the Doc, France

Luxor African Film Festival (LAFF), Egypt

Durban International Film Festival, South Africa

Avanca Film Festival, Portugal

Malmö Arab Film Festival (MAFF), Sweden

South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs), South Africa

Best Documentary in Progress Award at the Sunny Side of the Doc, France

Al-Husseini Abu-Deif/Artwatch Africa Award for Best Freedom Film at the Luxor African Film Festival (LAFF), Egypt

Best South African Documentary at the Durban International Film Festival, South Africa

Best Film at the Avanca Film Festival, Portugal

Certificate of Appreciation at the Malmö Arab Film Festival (MAFF), Sweden

Best Documentary Film and Best Directing in a Documentary at the South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs), South Africa

Reviews

Cléo Fatoorehchi - Opinion Internationale

Laurie Chen - Savage

SCREEN-SPACE

Jeremy Elphick - Fourthree Film

Sally Vusi - DYNAMIC AFRICA

Quotes

“These individual stories may initially seem a bit too kaleidoscopic in their sheer diversity, but Verster manages to foreground his characters’ undaunted desire to keep telling stories and creating art in the face of inhuman oppression.” Laurie Chen - Savage