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WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE? A FILM ABOUT MAKING MUSIC, directed by Ralf Schmerberg had its global premiere in 65 cities last night. A beautiful snapshot of NYC and what it means to be an artist, the film explores the challenges of creating music shared by some of the greatest in the music world today. Featuring Brian Eno, Giorgio Moroder, Erykah Badu, Nile Rodgers, Lee 'Scratch' Perry, Richie Hawtin, James Murphy and many more.
As of a few hours ago you can watch the film online at www.rbma15.com (1h 35m) or download it in high res! Let me know what you think!
I am truly grateful that I had the chance to work with the Mindpirates on this amazing doc and to meet some of the people in the film. And following the 2013 RBMA participants, I feel excited about the great music to come!
Exactly a year after meeting some of the crew members of THE SQUARE on their way back from receiving last-year's Sundance Audience Award, I finally managed to see the film last night at the Cinema Village. The screening was hosted by an NGO called WITNESS which trains civil rights activists around the world to use cameras and record the issues they are fighting to resolve. The connection with the film was that one of the characters was part of their peer training network.
Jehane Noujaim’s film really deserves all the recognition it received during the last year including its recent Oscar nomination. It's a true behind-the-scenes doc about the people of Tahir Square and the ongoing battle for justice on the streets of Cairo which is so difficult to understand from the news stories we hear. It touches upon the importance of independent media and the ways the biggest civil disobedience movement of our time was organized. Several characters are in the spotlight, including British-Egyptian actor and star of The Kite Runner Khalid Abdalla and an activist from the Muslim Brotherhood which I found most interesting.
The film is now on Netflix and according to the project website you can organize a local screeing of the film so for all my activist friends - check it out and make sure more people see it!
I'm also quite proud to say that two of the people involved actively in the film - Muhammed Hamdy (co-producer and lead cinematographer) and Alexandra Johnes (executive and co-producer) are part of my Documentary Film Program at NYFA. Hamdy graduated a year before me and Ali is one of my producing professors so keeping my fingers tightly crossed for the Oscars!
Remember the Red Bull Music Academy feature documentary I line-produced for the Mindpirates last Summer?
Here is a preview! Check out director Ralf Schmerberg's trailer of WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE? A FILM ABOUT MUSIC (initial title was HEAVEN OF MUSIC). The film features Brian Eno, Erykah Badu, my favorite Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, Giorgio Moroder, Nile Rodgers, Richie Hawtin, James Murphy and many more talking about the ups and downs of a life devoted to music. Shot at the 2013 Red Bull Music Academy in New York, the film focuses on the creative process – but ends up asking questions about life itself. More info here.
WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE? will premiere in movie theatres across the globe on February 17. A day later, it will be available to view for free via redbullmusicacademy.com (will post again once it is out!).
Image: Lee 'Scratch' Perry, RBMA
Here is my New Year's doc recommendation - I AM by Tom Shadyac. A 2011 film which I've missed as it is directed by one of Hollywood’s leading comedy directors (films include “Ace Ventura,” “Liar Liar,” “The Nutty Professor,” and “Bruce Almighty”). In I AM Shadyac steps in front of the camera to recount what happened to him after a cycling accident which temporary left him incapacitated.
The film poses two huge questions: "what’s wrong with our world?", and "what can we do to make it better?". Meeting with a variety of thinkers and doers from the worlds of science, philosophy, academia, and faith - including David Suzuki, Noam Chomsky and Desmond Tutu - it touches upon fundamental questions like what makes us human and our planet's sustainability and explores them through interconnectivity, quantum phisics, mirroring neurons, the Vegas nerve of empathy and many more. Watching it felt like an attempt for contemporary science to catch up with Eastern spirituality in a very comprehensive way.
Unlike other philosophical docs I've seen recently, it gives hope for the future by questioning the fundamentals of our society and economy. It explores Darwin's Book of Human Nature and challenges the survival of the fittest theory which is replaced by cooperation and sympathy, the strongest qualities of human nature according to Darwin himself. So have no great expectations (especially in terms of visuals) - just check it out and see what you think.
Let's try to buy less stuff in 2014 and be more compassionate towards ourselves and others! Happy New Year!
