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SIRA - Songs of the Crescent Moon

By

Sandra Gysi & Ahmed Abdel Mohsen

A film how traditions and modernity struggle in today’s Egypt – and how society is looking for its heroes now and then.

Documentary

Cinema

77

Min.

Format

35mm

Sound

Stereo Dolbydigital 2.0,

Country

Switzerland

Languages

Arabic

Subtitles

German, French, English

Synopsis

The film describes how traditions and modernity struggle in today’s Egypt – and how a society is looking for its heroes, in the past and in the present.80-year-old Sayyed el-Dawwy is the last living interpreter of the Sira, the most significant Arabian epic poem. He is the only one who knows by heart its 5 million verses. And only he keeps the stories about the people of the crescent moon alive. Now, he wants to pass the knowledge of the Sira down on to his grandson Ramadan, just as it has been passed down by word of mouth for generations.SIRA – SONGS OF THE CRESCENT MOON follows them touring Egypt for their concerts. And while Sayyed wants to teach the Sira to his grandson the way he knows and loves it, Ramadan is more interested in modern interpretations of the Sira, influenced by Pop music and soap operas.In the struggle of generations over the meaning of the Sira, the picture emerges of a world caught between tradition and modernity. A world in search for its respective heroes – in the past as well as in the present.

Crew

Director

Sandra Gysi & Ahmed Abdel Mohsen

Script

Sandra Gysi & Ahmed Abdel Mohsen

director of photography

Peter Liechti, Ahmed Abdel Mohsen, Sandra Gysi

Music

Sound

Ramón Orza ganzerplatz

Editing

Anja Bombelli, Sandra Gysi, Ahmed Abdel Mohsen, Marcel Derek Ramsay

Picture Design

Anja Bombelli, Sandra Gysi, Ahmed Abdel Mohsen, Marcel Derek Ramsay

Producer

Franziska Reck

More Crew Members

Original SoundRamón Orza

Cast

No items found.

Mohammed Hozayn

Yousry el-Guindy

Abdel Rahman el-Abnoudy

Ramadan el-Dawwy

Sayyed el-Dawwy

Festivals

2012

47. Solothurner Filmtage

Solothurn

Switzerland

2011

4th Panorama of the European Film

Cairo

Egypt

2011

Amiens International Film Festival

Amiens

France

2011

RIDM

Montreal International Documentary Festival

Montréal

Canada

2011

DOX Kopenhagen

Copenhagen

Denmark

2011

Filmfest DC Arabian Nights

Washington

USA

2011

Jihlava International Documentary Film Festival

Jihlava

Czech Republic

2011

Tiburon International Film Festival

Tiburon

USA

2001

DOK Leipzig

Leipzig

Germany

2011

Vancouver International Film Festival

Vancouver

Canada

2011

DMZ Documentary Film Festival

Goyang

South Korea

2011

International Film Festival Innsbruck

Innsbruck

Austria

2011

Planete Doc Review

Warsaw

Poland

2011

Hot Docs

Toronto

Canada

2011

Al Jazeera Film Festival

Doha

Qatar

2011

Visions du Réel

Internationaler Wettbewerb

Nyon

Switzerland

Awards

2011

Winner Documentary Movie Price

IFFI, Österreich

2011

Nomination Best Film, Jury Prize

Al Jazeera Film Festival, Doha, Qatar

Filmstills

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