Birds Eye View presents a cross-cultural live music commission by East African-influenced jazz musician, Amira Kheir for their 2013 Film Festival: Celebrating Arab Women Filmmakers. Singer, musician, somgwriter (and Afri-love interviewee), Amira will score a landmark silent film, Sumurun (One Arabian Night).
Of the film, a fantasy-drama of forbidden love, the NY Times says: ‘brilliant’.
Of Amira's critically acclaimed first album, View from Somewhere, Songlines says: ‘beautiful and fearless'. I own it and must agree.
Get a taste of Amira's music via today's video (RSS readers click here)
Event details
LONDON
Premiere: Thu 4 April, time TBC, BFI Southbank
Box office: 020 7928 3232 / bfi.org.uk
BRISTOL
Second performance: Sun 14 April, 6pm, Watershed
Box Office: 0117 927 5100 / watershed.co.uk
Sounds & Silents
The Birds Eye View Festival exists to celebrate and support women filmmakers – a positive response to the fact that only 10% of films are made by women. They initiated the 'Sounds & Silents' music series to encourage women interested in writing film music and in the 7 years since its inception, they have facilitated over 30 commissions. This year's focuses on female Arab musicians and if you're interested about next year's theme, email mail[at]birds-eye-view.co.uk
You can also still catch the second performance of multi-award-winning contemporary classical composer Bushra El-Turk. Also part of this year's 'Sounds & Silents', Bushra creates a new work for a chamber ensemble combining classical Western and traditional Middle Eastern instrumentation, accompanying The Adventures of Prince Achmed, the world’s first feature-length animation. The performance is on Fri 5 April at London’s Barbican.
Images courtesy of Birds Eye View
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More posts to enjoy:
- Interview with Singer/Songwriter, Amira Kheir
- The 2012 Film Africa Festival: Let's Talk about Sex!
- African Album Art – a selection of beautifully designed album covers (even more collections here and from Putumayo, here)
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