SYNOPSIS
A film within a film, “Looking for Oum Kulthum” is the plight of an Iranian woman artist/filmmaker living in exile, as she embarks on capturing the life and art of the legendary female singer of the Arab world, Oum Kulthum. Through her difficult journey, not unlike her heroine’s, she has to face the struggles, sacrifices and the price that a woman has to pay if she dares to cross the lines of a conservative male dominated society.
DIRECTOR
Iranian born artist/filmmaker living in New York, Shirin has won the Biennale award twice in 1999 with her video work and in 2009 with her first feature film “Women Without Men” which received the “Silver Lion Award”. Her photographic and video works have been displayed in all the greatest museums. She received the Chrystal Award in 2014 at the Davos World Economic Forum
Shirin Neshat has worked on her script “Looking for Oum Kulthum” with Shoja Azari and Jean-Claude Carrière, one of most respected writers and also winner of the Academy Honorary Award.
CREDITS
CAST:
Mitra – Neda Rahmanian
Ghada – Yasmin Raeis
Amir – Mehdi Moinzadeh
Ahmed/Latif – Kais Nashif
Oum Kulthum (old) – Najia Skalli
CREW:
Writer & Director: Shirin Neshat
Co-Writer: Shoja Azari
DOP: Martin Gschlacht
Sound: Claus-Benischke-Lang
Production Design: Erwin Prib
Costume Design: Mariano Tufano
Editor: Nadia Ben Rachid
Composer: Amine Bouhafa
PRODUCTION:
Razor Film, Germany
Coop99, Austria
In Between Art Film, Vivo Film, Italy
Schortcut Films, Libanon
IN COOPERATION WITH
Doha Film Institute
Noirmont Art Production
IN COLLABERATION WITH
ORF
FUNDED BY
Medienboard Berlin- Brandenburg
Austrian Film Institute
FISA
Vienna Film Fund
PRESS & SALES
WORLD SALES:
FESTIVALS & AWARDS
World Premiere: Venice Days, Giornate degli Autori 2017
TIFF 2017
BFI London Film Festival 2017