Directors
Madeleine Verschaffelt and Ahmed Rachedi

Country of Origin
Egypt

Language*
French, Arabic

Year/Time
2004/58m

January 29

Raï Story

Filmmakers Madeleine Verschaffelt and Ahmed Rachedi take us on a musical journey starting in the Algerian city of Oran, where the raï musical tradition began. In 1923, the first raï singers performed from behind screens at weddings and festivals so that their identity would be protected. It was only when the music of raï singer Cheikha Remitti began to gain popularity with the masses that the music was brought into the open, beginning with Remitti’s first public performance in 1940.

While on their quest to interview the legendary Cheikha Remitti, the filmmakers meet with singers such as Bouthelja Belkacem, Cheba Dalila and Cheba Djenet. They trace the transformation of raï music through the 1960s, 70s, 80s and 90s, exploring the careers of the musicians that have helped to keep this musical tradition alive. Although raï has been adapted for each new generation, its popularity has remained constant. It is not the pop music of today, but the sweet voices of raï you can hear spilling from the streets, shops and cafés of Oran.

location: ILC 120

Country of Origin
Israel

Language*
Hebrew/Arabic

Year/Time
2003/72m

February 26

Channels of Rage

“Blood is spilled and it spills more blood…I am dying to live but living to die.” Subliminal is a proud Zionist rapper who, with fellow artist MC Tamer, a pro-Palestinian Arab, seeks co-existence in the underground Israeli rap scene. Their belief that the language of hip hop can traverse the political tensions of the region to reunite their people is soon shattered as lyrical battles begin to spill onto the streets. This explosive and dynamic documentary explores the tensions between the patriotism of Subliminal’s rhymes and Tamer’s Palestinian nationalism to create a unique commentary on the broader political conflicts within the Middle East.

location: ILC 120

Country of Origin
Germany, UK, Iran

Language*
Persian

Year/Time
2006/97m

March 25

Sounds of Silence

Since the revolution of 1979, popular music in Iran has been at the mercy of the nation's Ministry of Cultural and Islamic Guidance, who have displayed little tolerance for Western influences, political or social commentary of any kind, or signs of rebellion or non-conformity. However, today nearly half of Iran's population is under 30, and the nation's young people are deeply interested in contemporary sounds even if their leaders aren't happy about it. A growing number of young Iranian musicians are taking the influence of Western rock, pop, and hip-hop music and marrying them to traditional Persian instrumentation and creating new and exciting sounds they distribute through the Internet or via underground networks and perform at secret concerts. The documentary Sounds of Silence offers an insider's look at the new wave of Iranian music, featuring some of the scene's most interesting artists and interviews with journalists who explain the restrictions the rockers must work within to create their music.

location: ILC 120

Country of Origin
Germany

Language*
English, Turkish, German

Year/Time
2005/90m

April 29

Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul

A European musician and composer sets out to capture the musical diversity of Istanbul. A lover of experimenting with sound, Alexander Hacke (of the German avantgarde band Einstürzende Neubauten) roams the streets of Istanbul with his mobile recording studio and "magic mike" to assemble an inspired portrait of Turkish music. His voyage leads to the discovery of a broad spectrum ranging from modern electronic, rock and hip-hop to classical "Arabesque". As he wanders through this seductive world in Crossing the Bridge, Alex collects impressions and tracks by artists such as neo-psychedelic band Baba Zula, fusion DJs Orient Expressions, rock groups Duman and Replikas, maverick rocker Erkin Koray, Ceza (Turkey’s answer to Public Enemy), breakdance performers Istanbul Style Breakers, digital dervish Mercan Dede, renowned clarinetist Selim Sesler, Canadian folk singer Brenna MacCrimmon, street performers Siyasiyabend, Kurdish singer Aynur, the "Elvis of Arabesque" Orhan Gencebay, and legendary divas Müzeyyen Senar and Sezen Aksu.

location: ILC 120

Country of Origin
Canada/France

Language*
Arabic, English, French, Hebrew

Year/Time
2006/84m

May 27

Between Two Notes

Indeed, what do Cairo, Tel Aviv, Beirut, Damascus and Aleppo have in common? Beyond the conflicts that continue to rock the Middle East, these cities share a common heritage: that of classical Arab music. Filmmaker Florence Strauss sets out from Paris in search of the roots of this timeless art, while uncovering a partially unknown and hidden aspect of her own heritage. Out of the void and absence rises the moving voice of catharsis. It is a double quest that is filled with a variety of encounters - a road movie that pays tribute to the musicians and poets who, through their art, embody and perpetuate a part of Middle Eastern history. An ode in praise of cultural fusion and the acceptance of otherness, the film celebrates the sensuousness and generosity of a land once associated with the Garden of Eden. Between Two Notes is, above all, music from the heart. With a thousand and one nuances, it conveys the history of our humanity in all its complexity.

location: ILC 120