Musicians

LOOKING FOR OUM KULTHUM

• Director: Shirin Neshat (in collaboration with Shoja Azari)
• GERMANY, AUSTRIA, ITALY, LEBANON / 2017 / DCP / Colour / 90´ / English, Arabic, Persian; Turkish, English s.t.

• Screenplay: Shirin Neshat, Shoja Azari
• Director of Photography: Martin Gschlacht
• Editing: Nadia Ben Rachid
• Music: Amine Bouhafa
• Cast: Neda Rahmanian, Yasmin Raeis, Mehdi Moinzadeh, Kais Nashif
• Producer: Gerhard Meixner, Roman Paul, Bruno Wagner, Antonin Svoboda, Martin Gschlacht
• Production Co.: Razor Film Produktion GmbH, Coop99, In Between Art Film, Vivo Film, Schortcut Films
• World Sales: The Match Factory

In her new film, Iranian artist Shirin Neshat tells the life story of legendary Egyptian singer in the cinematic trope of film-within-a-film. Young Mitra wants to film the life story of her idol Kulthum. After the casting of the lead actress she starts the frantic filming process, but at every turn of the production she has to face deep-seated prejudice against women. Neshat, through the screen story of Kulthum, whose life stands as a monument for female emancipation in the Middle East, depicts the price a woman must pay in order to follow her passions in a chauvinist and conservative society. Neshat is a jury member for the Human Rights in Cinema competition of the festival this year.

This film was a Meetings on the Bridge participant.