Italian company 102 Distribution (“A School in Cerro Hueso”) has embarked on Egyptian filmmaker Shaimaa Elgawady’s first feature documentary “Independent Scene.” He joins the film’s first producer and cinematographer, Amr Nazeer, as a producing partner and will handle the project’s worldwide distribution.
The pickup comes as 102 Distribution prepares to premiere Carlos Kaiser Eichelmann’s redemption drama “Red Shoes” in main competition in Marrakech after a successful run in Venice’s Horizons Extra strand.
Billed as an in-depth look at Jordan’s indie music scene, the story follows “four talented artists who helped create a unique sound that began to quietly simmer before eventually taking over the wider musical world, leaving a lasting mark”, says the synopsis, dissecting each musician’s personal journey as they struggle to find a balance between living their dreams and juggling the mounting pressures of a modern world.
“We try to look beyond the seriousness of internal conflicts,” Elgawady said in a statement. “In a way, the arc of our story is the composite of their own collective formation and reformation. from the real value of his art to mastering the unshakeable demands of everyday life.
Pioneering musicians Muhammad Abdullah, Tarek Abu Kwaik, Mahmoud Radaideh and Aziz Maraka share a deep love for their craft. Yet their passions are stifled by various obstacles. The film finds that indie music requires tremendous effort for diminishing rewards. A rough version of the scene, the documentary strikes a familiar chord, with economic and geographic barriers preventing talent from taking their music further overseas.
“This particular cast of musicians and filmmakers, who have collaborated on screen and behind the scenes to meaningfully fill this empty canvas, inspect the gravity of the forces we are subjected to, at least in retrospect,” Elgawady explained.
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