Watar El Ghurbeh
Made in Qatar
Alessandra El Chanti / Short Documentary / Qatar, United States of America / 2019 / 10 min / Colour / Apple Pro Res 422
In Arabic, English / English subtitles
Interests: Documentary, Middle Eastern, Music, History, Biography, Immigration, Family
World Premiere
Synopsis
Wanees Zarour is a Palestinian-American music composer and director. He leads the Middle Eastern Music Ensemble at the University of Chicago, a 60-piece orchestra that plays Arabic, Turkish, and Iranian music. As Zarour prepares the orchestra for its Turkish concert, he takes us on a journey of two parallel narratives—the preparations and rehearsals for the show, as well as the story of his musical upbringing in Palestine told through a phone call with his mother.
About the Directors
Alessandra El Chanti is a Lebanese filmmaker, born and raised in Qatar. Her interests lie in the culture, art, politics, and identity of the Levant. El Chanti's latest film, 'When Beirut Was Beirut' (2021), is an animated documentary that has toured international festivals, and won the Bader Best Short Film Award at Doha Film Institute's Ajyal Film Festival in 2021. El Chanti holds an MFA in Documentary Media from Northwestern University.
Credits
- Director
- Alessandra El Chanti
- Producer
- Alessandra El Chanti
- Editor
- Alessandra El Chanti
- Cinematographer
- Alessandra El Chanti
- Cast
- Wanees Zarour, Suzanne Boulos, and the Middle Eastern Music Ensemble at the University of Chicago.