Akhnaton Films: News
From Queens to Cairo featured in Marquee 2.0 Magazine
Our film, From Queens To Cairo, was featured in the July/August 2013 edition of Marquee 2.0 Magazine. Check it out!
http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/e16dd33c#/e16dd33c/14
Sherif Sadek Wins Best Director of a Short Documentary,
From Queens to Cairo, at Madrid International Film Festival 2013
July 12, 2013, Madrid, Spain – Akhnaton Films (www.akhnatonfilms.com) announced today that Sherif Sadek took top honors as Best Director of a Short Documentary at the Madrid International Film Festival (July 1 – 6, 2013) for his award-winning documentary, "From Queens to Cairo." (www.madridinternationalfilmfestival.com)
Nominations, Awards and Screenings:
- Screening at the San Antonio Film Festival, June 2013, in San Antonio, TX (www.safilm.com).
- Official selection and screening in the Egyptian Works program at the 16th annual Ismailia International Film Festival in Ismailia, Egypt, June 2013.
- Winner of Best Feature Documentary at the Queens World Film Festival, in Queens, NY, March 2013 (www.queensworldfilmfestival.com).
- Official Selection at the Rainier Independent Film Festival, Mount Rainier, WA, May 2013. (www.rainierfilmfest.com)
- Featured on Indiewire as Project of the Day (http://www.indiewire.com/article/project-of-the-day-a-documentary-filmma...).
This informative and insightful documentary follows Egyptian-American filmmaker Sherif Sadek as he returns to his native Cairo with his family one year after the start of the Egyptian Revolution. With misinformation rampant in the global media, Sadek is determined to see for himself how Egyptians will navigate the bumpy road to democracy after decades of authoritarianism. His journey takes him from famed Tahrir Square to the inside of taxi cabs to rallies and slums as he searches for perspectives from all walks of life. (www.imdb.com/title/tt2580398/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1)
Sherif Sadek, Akhnaton Films
Sadek stated, "The growing interest in this documentary by the global community is incredibly heart warming because as an American Egyptian, making this film is very personal to me. At the same time, I feel guilty for capitalizing on the deaths of our Egyptian martyrs, but I also feel the need to share their story of heroism as they fight for their freedom with the world watching. And now with Mohamed Morsi deposed, the battle continues. In the West, we think of freedom as a theoretical concept, but in Egypt, these citizens -- and many are youths -- are standing in the streets with their chests open to bullets as they strive to bring freedom to their country. Think about this for a minute."
Sadek added, "I accepted this award in honor of ASSIMILATE, who supported me while making this film, whether by making the awesome SCRATCH DI software that helped shape the story and preserve the realistic look of day-to-day events, or by morally supporting me in my two trips abroad to attend screenings at festivals."
Production:
Sadek shot "From Queens to Cairo" with a Nikon D7000 HDSLR. He then used ASSIMILATE's SCRATCH DI tools to do the conforming and turned to Jason Crump at Metropolis Post (www.metpostny.com) for the color grading in SCRATCH. Sadek was able to do the finishing himself, using the SCRATCH Finishing software. Sadek notes, "I work with SCRATCH every day in a technical support role for ASSIMILATE, but to experience its ease-of-use and powerful tool set as a user, gave me even greater appreciation for the craft and creativity of post-production artists."
Quotes from the industry:
Don Cato, curator of the Queens World Film Festival 2013, gave high marks to Sadek's documentary, stating, "What at first seemed ordinary, quickly turned to an unflinching drama, drawing a line between pyramids and poverty, Cairo and New York, a people's movement for freedom and the reactions of his children. It's a very, very fine piece of work!"
"When I saw this [film] at the Queens World Film Festival this year, it brought tears to my eyes," said Faiyaz Jafri, award-winning NYC filmmaker and artist (www.bam-b.com).
Sherif Sadek Wins Best Director of a Short Documentary - Madrid International Film Festival 2013
REVIEWS AND PRESS for From Queens to Cairo
We have been receiving a lot of great press for From Queens to Cairo. Check out the reviews and articles linked below!
INDIEWIRE: Project of the Day: A Documentary Filmmaker Goes 'From Queens To Cairo' For the Anniversary of the Egyptian Revolution
http://www.indiewire.com/article/project-of-the-day-a-documentary-filmmaker-goes-from-queens-to-cairo-for-the-anniversary-of-the-egyptian-revolution
ALJAZEERA: "From Queens to Cairo" Ismaili Festival 2013
http://doc.aljazeera.net/cinema/2013/06/201363105643892946.html
BAZAAR MAGAZINE: From Queens to Cairo: A return to roots
http://www.bazaar-magazine.com/baz/bazaar/index.php?show=eIndex&show_filter=view&action=article&art_id=ART00000001694
POST MAGAZINE: Documentary Short: 'From Queens to Cairo'
http://www.postmagazine.com/Publications/Post-Magazine/2013/May-1-2013/Documentary-Short-From-Queens-to-Cairo.aspx
STUDIO DAILY: Five Questions: 'From Queens to Cairo' Director Sherif Sadek
http://www.studiodaily.com/2013/05/five-questions-from-queens-to-cairo-director-sherif-sadek/
DIGITAL MEDIA WORLD: Indie Filmmaker Captures Life in Cairo after Arab Spring
http://www.digitalmedia-world.com/Production/indie-filmmaker-captures-nikon-d7000-scratch-cairo-arab-spring
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
From Queens To Cairo Screens at San Antonio Film Festival
June 18, 2013, Queens, New York, USA – Akhnaton Films (www.akhnatonfilms.com) announced today that Sherif Sadek's award-winning documentary, "From Queens to Cairo" (2012) is continuing on its film-festival journey with a screening on Sunday, June 23 at the San Antonio Film Festival. The festival runs from June 19 to June 23, in San Antonio, TX (www.safilm.com).
Nominations, Awards and Screenings
- Nominated as Best Director of a Short Documentary for "From Queens to Cairo" at the Madrid International Film Festival, July 1 – 6, 2013. (www.madridinternationalfilmfestival.com)
- Official selection and screening in the Egyptian Works program at the 16th annual Ismailia International Film Festival in Ismailia, Egypt, June 4 – 9, 2013
- Winner of Best Feature Documentary at the Queens World Film Festival, in Queens, NY, March 2013 (www.queensworldfilmfestival.com).
- Official Selection at the Rainier Independent Film Festival, Mount Rainier, WA, May 10 - 12, 2013 (www.rainierfilmfest.com)
- Featured on Indiewire as Project of the Day (http://www.indiewire.com/article/project-of-the-day-a-documentary-filmmaker-goes-from-queens-to-cairo-for-the-anniversary-of-the-egyptian-revolution).
This informative and insightful documentary follows Egyptian-American filmmaker Sherif Sadek as he returns to his native Cairo with his family one year after the start of the Egyptian Revolution. With tons of misinformation in the global media, Sadek is determined to see for himself how Egyptians will navigate the bumpy road to democracy after decades of authoritarianism. His journey takes him from famed Tahrir Square to the inside of taxi cabs to rallies and slums as he searches for perspectives from all walks of life. (www.imdb.com/title/tt2580398/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1)
Sherif Sadek, Akhnaton Films:
The growing interest in this documentary by the global community is incredibly heart warming because as an American Egyptian, making this film is very personal to me. With the recent political events in Egypt, I wanted to experience history in the making and show the world the humanity, passion, and courage of the Egyptian people, no matter their political beliefs. Fortunately, I'm able to use powerful DI software tools like SCRATCH to shape the story and preserve the realistic look of day-to-day events. (www.akhnatonfilms.com)
Production
Sadek shot "From Queens to Cairo" with a Nikon D7000 HDSLR. He then used ASSIMILATE's SCRATCH software to do the conforming and turned to Jason Crump at Metropolis Post (www.metpostny.com) for the color grading in SCRATCH. Sadek was able to do the finishing himself, using the SCRATCH Finishing software. Sadek notes, "I work with SCRATCH every day in a technical support role for ASSIMILATE, but to experience its ease-of-use and powerful tool set as a user, gave me even greater appreciation for the craft and creativity of post-production artists."
Don Cato, curator of the Queens World Film Festival 2013, gave high marks to Sadek's documentary, stating, "What at first seemed ordinary, quickly turned to an unflinching drama, drawing a line between pyramids and poverty, Cairo and New York, a people's movement for freedom and the reactions of his children. It's a very, very fine piece of work!"
"When I saw this [film] at the Queens World Film Festival this year, it brought tears to my eyes," said Faiyaz Jafri, award-winning NYC filmmaker and artist (www.bam-b.com).
Sherif Sadek Documentary - San Antonio Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sherif Sadek, Director of Award-Winning From Queens to Cairo, Goes Home to Egypt for Ismailia International Film Festival
June 6, 2013, Queens, New York, USA – Akhnaton Films (www.akhnatonfilms.com) announced today that Sherif Sadek's award-winning documentary, "From Queens to Cairo" (2012) will have a screening on Friday, June 7, in the Egyptian Works program at the 16th annual Ismailia International Film Festival. The festival is in Ismailia, Egypt, from June 4 through June 9.
Launched in 1988, the Ismailia festival is one of the major film festivals in the Arab world, and is he exclusively dedicated to documentaries and shorts. The festival's global appeal is a magnet for filmmakers around the world for screening their documentaries and shorts amidst an audience and industry that is heavily invested in these genres. Learn more about the festival at http://www.ismailiafilmfest.com.
Nominations and Awards
- Nominated as Best Director of a Short Documentary for "From Queens to Cairo" at the Madrid International Film Festival, July 1 – 6, 2013. (www.madridinternationalfilmfestival.com)
- Winner of Best Feature Documentary at the Queens World Film Festival, NY, held in March 2013. (www.queensworldfilmfestival.com)
- Official Selection at the Rainier Independent Film Festival, Mount Rainier, WA, May 10-12, 2013. (www.rainierfilmfest.com)
- Featured on Indiewire as Project of the Day. (http://www.indiewire.com/article/project-of-the-day-a-documentary-filmmaker-goes-from-queens-to-cairo-for-the-anniversary-of-the-egyptian-revolution)
This informative and insightful documentary follows Egyptian-American filmmaker Sherif Sadek as he returns to his native Cairo with his family one year after the start of the Egyptian Revolution. With tons of misinformation in the global media, Sadek is determined to see for himself how Egyptians will navigate the bumpy road to democracy after decades of authoritarianism. His journey takes him from famed Tahrir Square to the inside of taxi cabs to rallies and slums as he searches for perspectives from all walks of life. (www.imdb.com/title/tt2580398/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1)
Production
Sadek shot "From Queens to Cairo" with a Nikon D7000 HDSLR. He then used ASSIMILATE's SCRATCH software to do the conforming and turned to Jason Crump at Metropolis Post (www.metpostny.com) for the color grading in SCRATCH. Sadek was able to do the finishing himself, using the SCRATCH Finishing software. Sadek notes, "I work with SCRATCH every day in a technical support role for ASSIMILATE, but to experience its ease-of-use and powerful tool set as a user, gave me even greater appreciation for the craft and creativity of post-production artists."
Sherif Sadek, Akhnaton Films:
As an American Egyptian, making this film is very personal to me. With the recent political events in Egypt, I wanted to experience history in the making and show the world the humanity, passion, and courage of the Egyptian, no matter their political beliefs. Fortunately, I'm able to use powerful software tools like SCRATCH to shape the story and preserve the realistic look of day-to-day events. (www.akhnatonfilms.com)
Don Cato, curator of the Queens World Film Festival 2013, gave high marks to Sadek's documentary, stating, "What at first seemed ordinary, quickly turned to an unflinching drama, drawing a line between pyramids and poverty, Cairo and New York, a people's movement for freedom and the reactions of his children. It's a very, very fine piece of work!"
"When I saw this [film] at the Queens World Film Festival this year, it brought tears to my eyes," said Faiyaz Jafri, award-winning NYC filmmaker and artist (www.bam-b.com).
Sherif Sadek Documentary - Egypt Press Release
Sherif Sadek, Director of Award-Winning From Queens to Cairo, Heads to Madrid International Film Festival
NEW YORK, May 9, 2013 /PRNewswire-iReach/ - Akhnaton Films (www.akhnatonfilms.com) announced today that Sherif Sadek has been nominated as Best Director of a Short Documentary for his award winning documentary, "From Queens to Cairo" (2012), at the Madrid International Film Festival, July 1 – 6, 2013. (www.madridinternationalfilmfestival.com)
Most recently, Sadek's film was the winner of Best Feature Documentary at the Queens World Film Festival, NY, held in March 2013 (www.queensworldfilmfestival.com).
The documentary is also an Official Selection at the Rainier Independent Film Festival, Mount Rainier, WA, May 10-12, 2013 (www.rainierfilmfest.com) and was featured on Indiewire as Project of the Day (http://www.indiewire.com/article/project-of-the-day-a-documentary-filmmaker-goes-from-queens-to-cairo-for-the-anniversary-of-the-egyptian-revolution).
Don Cato, curator of the Queens World Film Festival 2013, gave high marks to Sadek's documentary, stating, "What at first seemed ordinary, quickly turned to an unflinching drama, drawing a line between pyramids and poverty, Cairo and New York, a people's movement for freedom and the reactions of his children. It's a very, very fine piece of work!"
"When I saw this [film] at the Queens World Film Festival this year, it brought tears to my eyes," said Faiyaz Jafri, award-winning NYC filmmaker and artist (www.bam-b.com).
This informative and insightful documentary follows Egyptian-American filmmaker Sherif Sadek as he returns to his native Cairowith his family one year after the start of the Egyptian Revolution. With tons of misinformation flying around in the media, Sadek is determined to see for himself how Egyptians will navigate the bumpy road to democracy after decades of authoritarianism. His journey takes him from famed Tahrir Square to the inside of taxi cabs to rallies and slums as he searches for perspectives from all walks of life. (www.imdb.com/title/tt2580398/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1)
Production:
Sadek shot "From Queens to Cairo" with a Nikon D7000 HDSLR. He then used ASSIMILATE's SCRATCH software to do the conforming and turned to Jason Crump at Metropolis Post (www.metpostny.com) for the color grading in SCRATCH. Sadek was able to do the finishing himself, using the SCRATCH Finishing software. Sadek notes, "I work with SCRATCH every day in a technical support role for ASSIMILATE, but to experience its ease-of-use and powerful tool set as a user, gave me invaluable insight into the craft and creativity of post-production artists."
Sherif Sadek, Akhnaton Films:
As an American Egyptian, this film is very personal to me. Like many others, I had been awaiting change in Egypt for a very long time. It was frustrating for me not to be able to participate in the revolution, so I was determined to bring my family with me to document the first anniversary of change. (www.akhnatonfilms.com)