CLERMONT-FERRAND

To Rest in Peace will be part of a special screening of Kuwaiti short films at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival. The screening is curated by Talal Muhanna, and will feature films by Meqdad Al-Kout, Mousaed Khaled, Omar Al-Masab, Monira Al-Qadiri, Basil El-Hadi, Mohamed Walid Ayyad, Faisal Al-Duwaisan, and Dawood Shuail.

WHEN: February 5, 2013, at 9AM.

WHERE: Georges Conchon Theater.

It's been over a year since the last festival submission for To Rest in Peace. We've been very fortunate to have the film continue being requested for screenings all over the world. Clermont-Ferrand always has a strong USC presence, with our ambassador from the Festivals Office, Sandrine Cassidy, in attendance. And this group of Kuwaiti filmmakers is particularly strong. I've seen some of their films before, and look forward to seeing them again.

For an insight into the Clermont-Ferrand experience, check out this blog post by John Dion, a good friend of mine whose thesis film Cupid (edited by yours truly) played at the festival last year.

Toronto Premiere

[photo by Alex Dounets]

After a year and a half on the festival circuit, To Rest in Peace will finally have its Toronto premiere!

Screening at the Toronto Beaches Film Festival, on Saturday June 30th at 11:30AM. We are screening before the feature documentary, If I Should Fall.

It's been a good run. We've screened all over the world, including Cannes, Kuwait, Dubai, London, New York and Los Angeles, and won awards for writing, directing, cinematography, editing, music, audience choice, and best short film.

But this screening holds a special significance. The seed for To Rest in Peace was planted in Toronto, in 2005. Producer Josh Clavir and I had just finished our second collaboration, Her Music Led, an adaptation of John Keats' La Belle Dame Sans Merci. We sat talking about the adventure of making that small film in the woods of Caledon in the dead of winter, hauling HMIs with a wheelbarrow down a slippery slope, and standing for twelve hours in a foot of snow with the water seeping in to our cold, cold toes. It was during this meeting that we started sharing stories that had inspired us, that we thought would make great films 'one day.'

I told Josh about my uncle Malek, and his heroics during the Occupation of Kuwait, including how he buried two dead strangers by the side of the road. Years later, while doing my masters in film production at USC, I wrote a script, and that script became a thesis film. Josh flew down from Toronto, and spent a semester with me in Los Angeles, getting the movie made.

That 'one day' had arrived, To Rest in Peace was finished, and now, as we travelled the festival circuit and worked on other projects, we talked about premiering the film in Toronto 'one day.' Now that new 'one day' has arrived. It's June 30th. We hope to see you there.

Award at PCFMF

To Rest in Peace won at the Park City Film Music Festival, placing third in the short film category. Congratulations to our composer, Leah Curtis, and the talented team she brought on board.

The picture above is Leah (on the right) with festival director Leslie Harlow.

You can listen to two pieces from To Rest in Peace below, including Salamun Salam, which won 'best world song' at the Hollywood Music in Media Awards in 2010.

Park City Film Music Festival

To Rest in Peace is screening at the Park City Film Music Festival, on Tuesday, May 29th at 12:15pm, and Saturday, June 2nd at 3:15pm. You can purchase tickets online on their Festival Genius page.

Congrats to Leah Curtis, and the artists who brought her score to life! You can listen to the To Rest in Peace soundtrack online.

Leah was also recently nominated for two categories at the Hollywood Music in Media Awards, for her Exitus Roma song, 'Animal Vagula,' with vocalist Lisbeth Scott. Their previous collaboration, 'Salamun Salam' from the To Rest in Peace soundtrack, won 'Best World Song' in 2010. The award ceremony will be held on November 15th.

SHIFT Kuwait & May Festivals

To Rest in Peace has continued its festival run, screening at four events since the DGA in April.

We're honoured to have screened at SHIFT, a charity event that seeks to shift your perspective on Kuwaiti cinema. I had a chance to see most of these films on the festival circuit, and to meet some of the filmmakers. From all accounts, it was a successful evening, and I wish I could have been there to celebrate.

We also screened with a showcase of USC films at the Newport Beach Film Festival, a few miles away from where we shot most of To Rest in Peace (at El Toro Airfield).

Our Italian premiere happened in Naples, with the Social World Film Festival. 

And we went back to the mountains for the Lake Arrowhead Film Festival in California.

Awards at the DGA

To Rest in Peace screened at the Directors Guild of America yesterday, with a showcase of USC films.

We took home the Fotokem bronze award, and the First Look audience award. Congrats to the cast and crew!

Congrats also to John Dion, our 1st A.D., whose thesis film Cupid won the faculty award for best screenwriting.

And thanks to everyone who came out and made it such a special night.

First Look 2012

To Rest in Peace is going full circle back to the University of Southern California for the First Look Festival.

Our screening will be at 2PM on Saturday, April 14th. Admission is free, but you should RSVP to hold a spot.

Two other thesis films I worked on are also screening at First Look. John Dion's Cupid, a comedy I edited, is screening at 5PM on Saturday. And Cat Youell's The Mischievous Case of Cordelia Botkin, a historical drama I produced, is playing the following day, at 3:45PM on Sunday. (John was the 1st AD on To Rest in Peace, and Cat was one of the producers).

Looking forward to watching some films I've been wanting to watch for some time, and re-watching others I've seen and enjoyed. Should be a good First Look! See you there.

Interview at Mizna's Twin Cities Arab Film Festival

Here's an interview I did for Martha Low and Ismail Ouassaddine while at Mizna's Twin Cities Arab Film Festival.

Mizna's was one of the best experiences I had on the festival circuit. Lana Barkawi, Rami Azzazi, Marya Morstad, and their team played excellent hosts, and I met a lot of very talented filmmakers, including Tania Khalaf and David Hamilton, who have been supportive allies ever since.

I often get asked about festivals in terms of what possible deals you might get out of them. Sell your film, sell your feature, get an agent, etc. But though To Rest in Peace has been very fortunate, the best rewards you get are the people you meet along the way.

One such ally is Lisa Robertson, who I met at the Breckenridge Film Festival with her short film Commerce. Lisa made a big impact on Exitus Roma. She gave notes on an early draft, helped us find our leading lady, Teri Reeves, and gave notes on an early cut that led to a lot of positive changes. The best aspect of the festival circuit is the opportunity to do better work, by seeing other films, and meeting very talented filmmakers.

To Rest in Peace continues its festival run, on its own momentum. I've shifted focus onto Exitus Roma, and other projects on the horizon, but will continue to update the blog until my new, not project-specific blog is up and running.

Norwich Film Festival

To Rest in Peace will be screening this weekend at the Norwich Film Festival! (March 30-31st) If you attend the screening, we'd love to hear how it went. It looks like a strong group of films.

In the meantime, I am in the final stages of making Exitus Roma, the mini roman epic. More info, and a trailer are coming soon.

LACMA Muse Young Directors Night

To Rest in Peace is being showcased at the Los Angeles County Museum of the Arts!

Saturday, March 10th at 7:30 PM, for the LACMA Muse Young Directors Night.

This will be one of the last major stops for To Rest in Peace. It's been over a year since we started our festival run, and the film is still going strong. There are a couple of festivals I haven't announced yet, and we get the occasional random screening request. But my main focus now is on other projects: the mini Roman epic I recently shot, and a new feature script I'm writing. More info to come.

Congrats also to my friends Michael Koerbel for In Captivity, and Isaac Ergas for Snow, both screening at LACMA's Young Directors Night. I'm looking forward to seeing those films, and their directors again soon!

The picture of LACMA above is by Sean Conaty, director of photography for To Rest in Peace.

Mini Roman Epic

[You can now join us on Facebook! Exitus Roma was made for the Ridley Scott + YouTube competition, 'Your Film Festival.' If we make the semifinals, we'll rely on our fans (you!) to get to the finals. You can watch the trailer here.]

Here are some early images from my new short film. It's a mini epic about roman refugees from the barbarian invasions, AD 410.

The film was produced for the Ridley Scott + YouTube competition, Your Film Festival. It's been filmmaking in the fast lane! I wrote the script at the end of January. My amazing producer, Anna Elizabeth James of Majek Pictures, put it together in three short weeks. We wrapped production last Friday, and I watched the editors' cut on Sunday!

Starring Teri Reeves, David Landry, Brad C. Wilcox, and Nevin Millan. Written & directed by me. Produced by Anna Elizabeth James. Cinematographer: Jonathan Barenboim. Production Designer: Bonnie Bacevich. Costume Designer: Pheobe Boynton. Make-up Artist: Cara Liedlich. 1st Assistant Director: Michael Koerbel. Fight co-ordinator: Bill Leaman. Editors: Daniel Hanne & Nick Wenger. Sound: Alexander Burstein. Composer: Leah Curtis. And many more on an amazing crew! 

More info coming soon.

Irvine International Film Festival

To Rest in Peace is starting 2012 at the Irvine International Film Festival! The festival runs January 12-16, and our screening is on Saturday, January 14, at 12:30PM.

We shot most of the film at an abandoned air field near Irvine. That's where we staged the car with two dead bodies, which is the story's center of gravity. It took months of location scouting, all over Southern California, to finally find a place that could double for Kuwait. And if you look at the picture above of the festival venue, it looks so much like a Kuwaiti mall!

We're looking forward to going back to Irvine for the film festival.

Super Shorts International Film Festival

To Rest in Peace is playing in London at the Super Shorts International Film Festival! We are nominated for Best Drama. Congrats to the cast & crew.

The screening is Sunday, December 11th, at 4PM.

You can browse the festival's magazine online.

And you can watch To Rest in Peace and vote online for the Audience Choice Award (possibly winning an iPad).

Super Shorts was the very first festival stop for To Rest in Peace, before the film was even shot. The script was a finalist at the 2008 edition. How perfect, then, that the 2011 edition will mark one year since To Rest in Peace started touring the world as a finished film. Our world premier was exactly twelve months ago at the 2010 Dubai International Film Festival.

Congrats also to Ali Scher, my fellow Trojan, who is nominated as best director for her musical The Maiden and the Princess. Ali is one of the special ones, overflowing with talent, and her film has been winning awards all over the world. I hope she can add 'Best Director – Super Shorts' to the growing list.

Unfortunately, I won't be able to cross the Atlantic for Super Shorts. This is a good time to reflect on a subject that's been on my mind for the last couple of months: missed opportunities. At the beginning of the festival campaign, I made an effort to attend every festival, for the full duration. As time went on, however, that became impossible for a number of reasons. It started with Cannes, which Josh and I were only able to visit towards the last couple of days. Then I attended the New York City International Film Festival, but missed the awards ceremony, which included a 'Best Student Short' for To Rest in Peace. The same goes for SoCal, Central Florida, Crystal Palace, and now Super Shorts.

It's very disappointing to miss any festival, because the programmers have honoured your work by selecting it, and the least you can do, it seems, is appreciate the honour with your presence. It's doubly disappointing when that festival marks both a second invitation and an anniversary.

But one strives to be always working, always building on past success, always looking for the next project. The past couple of months, while they have been negligent toward the festival circuit, have been very productive with my daily work at Mad Universe, and with my writing for producer Brian Zager. The list of active projects expands and contracts, but never dips below five. That is a very fortunate position to be in as a filmmaker, and a good reason to regretfully miss some good opportunities.

In the lead up to Super Shorts 2011, Edward Dark and Ismar Badzic have been the perfect hosts. I'm sorry I won't get to meet them in London, and I wish them both a very successful festival.

Mizna's Twin Cities Arab Film Festival

To Rest in Peace will be screening in Minneapolis at Mizna's Twin Cities Arab Film Festival!

We are screening with the feature film City of Life on Saturday, November 12th at 7 PM.

The festival team has gone above and beyond in their preparations, so this promises to be one of the best festivals To Rest in Peace has participated in. Looking forward to it!

More news to come.

BFF Best Short Film!

To Rest in Peace won Best Short Film at the Brantford Film Festival! Congrats to the cast & crew.

This was a particularly significant award for us, since it was our Canadian premiere.

Jason Teakle of Brant News interviewed producer Josh Clavir and I for an article about To Rest in Peace, which he called "a story of inner strength."

We had a great time in Brantford. The people were warm, the city was lovely, and the films were good. There is nothing better you can ask for in a film festival. I look forward to returning in future years, whether or not I have a film playing there.

Canadian Premiere at Brantford

To Rest in Peace will have its Canadian premiere at the Brantford Film Festival!

There will be two screenings: Friday, November 4th at 7 PM, and Saturday, November 5th at 1PM. Check out the schedule for more details.

This is a particularly exciting festival for us. There were a lot of Canadians working on To Rest in Peace, including our lead, Michael Benyaer, our producer, Josh Clavir, and, of course, I lived most of my life in Toronto. I grew up there since I was eight years old, discovered my passion for filmmaking there, met my mentor David Stein, studied history at the University of Toronto. Much of who I am, as a person and a filmmaker, is intimately tied to my time in Toronto. So our Canadian premiere is one I have been looking forward to for a very long time.

Ironically, Canada has been the least receptive country for To Rest in Peace. We have played all over the world, in the United States, in Cannes, in Dubai, in Kuwait, and in the UK. But it has taken almost a year to finally play at a Canadian festival.

And this one promises to be the perfect beginning. Check out their line-up, which includes Sudden Death!, a musical comedy by fellow USC filmmaker, Adam Hall. 

SoCal Best Student Short!

To Rest in Peace won best student short at the SoCal Independent Film Fest! Congrats to the cast & crew.

The picture above is of me and Mir Waiss Najibi at the screening. Mir played one of the dead men that Malek buries in To Rest in Peace.  We were so grateful for his involvement, and for Ralph Lopez. They were both on set for several days, early in the morning, getting into dead man make-up, and always cheerful.

One of my fondest memories of set was a blooper that Mir and Ralph created. We were filming a close-up of the two dead bodies, and before I yelled 'cut,' the bodies came to life, looked around in a daze, and decided to leave. The whole crew had a good laugh.

Our festival run continues. More news to come.

Tacoma Film Festival

To Rest in Peace will be screening this week at the Tacoma Film Festival! We are with the 'International Shorts' program on Sunday, October 9th, 12:40 PM at the Tacoma Art Museum.

I recently discovered that my good friend, Caitlin Thomson, was born in Tacoma. Which is completely tangential, but it gives me the opportunity to link to her work. One of her poems was recently published by Random House in Killer Verse, alongside another of my favourites, Robert Browning. Congrats Caitlin!

TFF looks like a strong festival, with interesting films. We are screening again with Thief, which I have seen a number of times now, and never gotten bored of. It has good performances all around, particularly by Egyptian actor Ayman Samman. If you're in the area, drop by the Tacoma Art Museum for the 'International Shorts' on Sunday!

SoCal Independent Film Festival

 

To Rest in Peace will return to Huntington Beach for the SoCal Independent Film Festival! The festival runs September 28th to October 2nd. Our screening is on Thursday, September 29th at 1:10PM.

I say 'return,' because we shot our last day of principle photograph on Huntington Beach. People often point to this scene as one they are sure was shot in Kuwait. The Towers of Kuwait appear in the background, as Malek is contemplating the water. But these were filmed separately by Ali Younis, and then composited by Michael Ashton. The scene itself was shot by Sean Conaty with our priniciple photography crew in Huntington Beach, California.

Incidentally, if you would like to see more of Kuwait, Ali Younis has some beautiful nature videos up on his YouTube channel. Check out Kuwait's Desert in Spring. And did you know that Kuwait has flamingos?

The beach scene is one of my personal favourites in To Rest in Peace. It is the moment when Malek, having struggled with his choice of whether or not to risk his life and bury the two dead men himself, has reached the end of the road. There is no where else to go, and he is forced to contemplate his decision in a communion with nature. Part of the inspiration was this sentiment by Lord Byron, from Childe Harold's Pilgrimmage:

     There is a pleasure in the pathless woods,
     There is a rapture on the lonely shore,
     There is society, where none intrudes,
     By the deep sea, and music in its roar:
     I love not man the less, but Nature more, 

     From these our interviews, in which I steal 

     From all I may be, or have been before, 

     To mingle with the Universe, and feel 

     What I can ne'er express, yet cannot all conceal.

Michael Benyaer gave a layered performance, underscored by Leah Curtis's music. This is one scene that stayed almost exactly the same throughout the editing process, from Zachary Dehm's first cut.

I look forward to revisiting Huntington Beach. It was the end of our production, but not of our festival run. More festival news is coming up soon, including our Canadian premiere. And we're off to the Big Bear Lake International Film Festival tomorrow! 

CENFLO Best Student Short!

To Rest in Peace won the Paul Leder award for Best Student Project at the Central Florida Film Festival! Congrats to our cast & crew.