Our work in action, We are thrilled to present the full video of Meryl Streep introducing The Sharp Edge of Peace at the UN General Assembly, where a special excerpt of the documentary was showcased.
Sima Song on the ten world Premiere on Tokyo Film Festival showcases includes Asian Section with films from Malaysia, US, Iran, China
Tokyo film festival reveals 2024 line-up with strong Asian presence in competition
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The Sharp Edge of Peace
Our work in action, We are thrilled to present the full video of Meryl Streep introducing The Sharp Edge of Peace at the UN General Assembly, where a special excerpt of the documentary was showcased.
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Sima’s Song
In the pre-civil war context in Afghanistan, Suraya (communist) and Sima (conservative) keep their lifelong friendship alive despite their opposing life choices.
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Sima’s Song
Roya Sadat’s new historical drama Sima’s Song [+], which will have its world premiere at the upcoming Tokyo International Film Festival (28 October-6 November), in the Asian Future competition.
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The Sharp Edge of Peace
Eminent Afghanistan filmmaker Roya Sadat had quite the journey while filming “The Sharp Edge of Peace,” which has its world premiere at Hot Docs.
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Sima’s SongNew List Item
The Berlin-based sales company has also acquired the historical drama “Sima’s Song” by award-winning Afghan director Roya Sadat; Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay’s timely and suspenseful German social drama “Hysteria”; and Luxembourgish helmer Eric Lamhène’s “Breathing Underwater,” which explores violence against women.
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Sima’s Song
Sima Song on the ten world Premiere on Tokyo Film Festival showcases includes Asian Section with films from Malaysia, US, Iran, China -
Yahoo!News
Meryl Streep "We're about to watch a very short version of a documentary film called The Sharp Edge of Peace. It's directed by Royal Sadat and it is produced by Leslie Thomas. And it gives us a glimpse of the incredible courage and the tireless commitment of four Afghan women leaders, the only women who sat face to face with the Taliban during peace talks in 2020".
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San Sebastián Festival
Sima’s Song is also the second film from the Afghan moviemaker Roya Sadat, known for her activism in favour of women’s rights.
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Sima Song
Sima Song on the ten world Premiere Tokyo Film Festival showcases includes an Asian Section with films from Malaysia, the US, Iran, China
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Ioncinema
A Letter To The President Afghan filmmaker Roya Sadat (who saw her debut film A Letter To The President preem in Locarno) appears to be moments away from embarking on the production of her sophomore feature.
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Sima’s Song,
Many titles, though still in post production, come laden with prizes as projects, prestige deals or rich talent. “Sima’s Song,” from Afghan director Roya Sadat,
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Sima’s Song
Five projects from Germany, Spain, Hungry and Turkey will participate in San Sebastian’s WIP Europa initiative for films in post-production with majority European backing.
The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/26/world/asia/afghanistan-woman-filmmaker.html?_r=0
Global Re Thinker Foreign Policy
https://gt.foreignpolicy.com/2017/profile/roya-sadat?1fea5800af=
Los- Angeles Times
https://gt.foreignpolicy.com/2017/profile/roya-sadat?1fea5800af=
Film Reviewed
https://www.sonntagsblatt.de/artikel/kultur/traeume-und-albtraeume-auf-dem-filmfest-muenchen),
Huff Post Reviewed with 3 other film
https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_598b2277e4b0f25bdfb32106/amp
Hollywood Reporter Film Reviewd A Letter to the President’- Afghanistan
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/a-letter-president-namai-ba-rahis-gomhor-film-review-busan-
2017-1048371
RFI France
http://en.rfi.fr/culture/20180205-letter-president-reflects-change-afghanistan?ref=tw
Al Jazeera
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFxkUClo1bk&feature=youtu.be
Asian Film Vault – Interview
http://www.asianfilmvault.com/2018/02/interview-with-roya-sadat-security.html
Asian Film Vault – Interview
http://www.asianfilmvault.com/2018/02/a-letter-to-president-2017-by-roya-sadat.html?m=1
Award Nomanetion TOLO NEWS
https://www.tolonews.com/arts-culture/afghan-movie-nominated-malaysia-golden-global-awards
BBC Farsi
http://www.bbc.com/persian/arts-42237102
Variety
http://variety.com/2017/film/asia/oscar-foreign-language-female-directors-on-their-fims-1202628504/
Variety -Afghan Film Maker Roya Sadat Defies-odd-with her feature film
http://variety.com/2017/film/news/female-afghan-filmmaker-roya-sadat-defies-odd-with-her-feature-film-
letter-1202589061/amp/
Variety – Busan Film Review: ‘A Letter to the President’
Afghanistan's foreign-language Oscar entry is a rough-edged but righteously compelling
feminist drama from trailblazing director Roya Sadat.
http://variety.com/2017/film/reviews/a-letter-to-the-president-review-1202590404/amp/
Hollywood Reporter ‘A Letter to the President’- Afghanistan
category-1043533
Screendaily – Oscar Film List - ‘A Letter to the President’- Afghanistan
the-president/5121706.article
Prado Live Locarno goes to Hollywood
https://pardo.ch/pardo/pardo-live/today-at-festival/2017/09/oscars.html
WOMEN AND HOLLYWOOD
https://blog.womenandhollywood.com/roya-sadats-a-letter-to-the-president-is-afghanistan-s-foreign-
language-oscar-pick-c0e7b001482c
Variety
http://variety.com/2017/film/global/afghanistan-a-letter-to-the-president-afghanistan-foreign-
language-oscars-1202573638/a
Oscar
https://asiaincinema.com/2017/10/06/academy-announces-2017-submissions-for-best-foreign-film-oscar/
INDIA LIVE TODAY MOVIES
foreign-language-film-race-oscars/
News Line - Film Review
https://newsline.com/busan-film-review-a-letter-to-the-president/
IMOVIEZ Magazine -Oscar List
http://www.imoviezmagazine.it/oscar-2017-92-paesi-concorso-la-
nomination-miglior-film-straniero/
Busan Daily
http://news20.busan.com/controller/newsController.jsp?newsId=201710170
00267
Hankyoreh Daily
http://www.hani.co.kr/arti/culture/movie/815007.html
Joongang Daily
http://news.joins.com/article/22046610
Hankook Ilbo
http://www.hankookilbo.com/v/cc7dcfd8bf234e1485b8c2670d9b1327
Busan Ilbo
http://news20.busan.com/controller/newsController.jsp?newsId=20171017000267
https://newsline.com/busan-film-review-a-letter-to-the-president/
News Never
http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=102&oid=082&
aid=0000746696
MY MOVIES.IT
http://www.mymovies.it/film/2017/a-letter-to-the-president/
http://latest.bvk.hu/daily/afghanistan-sends-a-letter-to-oscars
GOLD DERBY
http://www.goldderby.com/forum/movies/90th-academy-awards-submissions-for-best-foreign-language-
film/
THE WRAP
https://www.thewrap.com/httpswww-thewrap-comoscar-foreign-language-2017-complete-list/
ASIA IN CINEMA
https://asiaincinema.com/2017/10/06/academy-announces-2017-submissions-for-best-foreign-film-oscar/
https://filmow.com/a-letter-to-the-president-t241308/trailers/
Country Premier – Afghanistan – News
| Screening in Moby Group on September 2017 – TOLO NEWS Report
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VO0QSNfOlrM&feature=youtu.be
Screening on Cinema September | Report
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCUOjGWvqQc
8AM Screening in Cinema Aryana in September
http://8am.af/1396/07/01/cinematic-movie-letters-to-the-president-was-released-in-kabul/
World Premier - locarno International Film Festival
https://pardo.ch/pardo/pardo-live/today-at-festival/2017/day-7/intervista_mr_president.html
to-the-president-a-
locarno?id=8820404&startTime=0&station=a9e7621504c6959e35c3ecbe7f6bed0446cdf8da
https://pardo.ch/pardo/pardo-live/today-at-festival/2017/day-7/letter-to-president.html
Previous news | DW
http://www.dw.com/fa-af/%D9%81%DB%8C%D9%84%D9%85-%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%87-
%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D8%B1%D8%A6%DB%8C%D8%B3-
%D8%AC%D9%85%D9%87%D9%88%D8%B1-%D8%A8%D9%87-
%D8%AC%D8%B4%D9%86%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%87-
%D9%84%D9%88%DA%A9%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%86%D9%88-%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%87-
%DB%8C%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%AA/av-39806538
bbc- persian
http://www.bbc.com/persian/afghanistan-40683203
Opera Review and other article - Interview
The Wall Street Journal (paywalled, pdf attached)
“[Roya Sadat’s] adroit staging, with sets by Misha Kachman, costumes by Deborah Trout, and lighting by Jen Schriever, reflects some of the complexity of Afghan society and its changes over the years, including Western, cosmopolitan attire coexisting with headscarves and burqas in an outdoor marketplace.”
Includes significant coverage of Jashin, in addition to thoughts on the opera. Make sure to listen to the audio, not just the written story.
Financial Times (paywalled, pdf attached)
“The soprano Maureen McKay shines as Laila.”
Seattle Afghan Opera | | wandtv.com
'A Thousand Splendid Suns' primed for its Seattle Opera premiere | KNKX Public Radio
“As Laila, former Seattle Opera Young Artist McKay sang as beautifully as Moras, whose Tariq was graced with an irresistible mix of Italianate and Latin passion. Sewailam, too, was a gift: His Hakim sounded appropriately kind and loving.”
“I was nervous about attending the show, primarily due to the fact that I had never been to an opera performance before. I had always thought of the opera as a venue exclusive to rich, white people who grew up with theater and were culturally more appreciative of classical music. […] Nonetheless, I was excited to go to my first opera performance. I went in with an open mind, and I can report with confidence that for the most part, the show did not disappoint. […] It is a deeply moving portrayal of female friendship persevering through times of extreme adversity.”
KIRO 7: “New Afghan opera written by Seattle-born composer”
From new SO board member Deborah Horne
“The scenery is beautiful, the voices are lovely, and the Hindustani-influenced music is in a class of its own.”
This review, from one of our regular reviewers, raises some important questions about how opera tropes can be reproduced even in new works. Whether or not you agree with his assessment, it’s worth thinking about the various ways that audience members may interpret the work we put on stage.
Very last review
The Seattle Times (paywalled, pdf attached)
“The opera, which opened Saturday night, brought lyrical, beautiful music to a poignant tale on the McCaw Hall stage. […] Silver’s music deftly meshed traditional South Asian instruments with the orchestra and the voices on stage.”
“Haunting and beautiful, the story and music merge as one in this formidable show. The central truths of hope and love will echo long past the last note and curtain fall.”
Real Change (which put us on the front page!)
“I happened to be at the Seattle Opera on the pay-what-you-can night, and I felt the audience reflected how opera was always supposed to be. In my 20 years of classical music-going, this was one of the more diverse audiences I’ve seen for a venue where tickets start at a higher price point than most are comfortable with. The audience was also exhilarating. People gasped and jeered, just like audiences have been for more than four centuries. As the show went on and people became more comfortable, I found myself smiling at the beautiful experience of live opera performances. […] If you have never been to the opera, if you are interested in seeing the small stories of these women portrayed with the bigness they deserve, I recommend it.”
“It is difficult to think of a way in which this opera and this production could have been improved. We congratulate Seattle Opera for bringing this beautiful and important work into existence, and encourage readers to attend this wonderful world premiere.”
Musical America (paywalled, pdf attached)
“The score deftly fuses raga-based leitmotifs and mesmerizing drones with Silver’s individual, obviously Western voice. Her melodic gift is matched by a flair for intriguing orchestral colors and solo or chamber textures that suggest glints of light or shadow to give the musical fabric added vibrancy. Viswa Subbaraman conducted with sensitive attention to these details, eliciting moods of almost mystical tranquility in moments of reflection while going full throttle for the score’s most violent outbursts.”
“By the end of this deeply engrossing saga of a life-changing friendship, you’ll have a new impression of Afghanistan imprinted in your mind — thanks to fleeting scenes of a prosperous Kabul shopping district filled with women in colorful modern dress, of children playing happily — along with a lingering sense of the power of love and female courage.”
“The stagecraft and the power of the music, which combines punches of western music worthy of a Sibelius or a Stravinsky, punctuated by Hindustani motifs, make the experience a wall of unbelievable light and sound come throbbing off the stage with Mariam at the center. At many times during this opera, I was suffocating and trying not to sob.”
“[A Thousand Splendid Suns] is a haunting, atmospheric work full of lush evocative music rendered in technicolor orchestrations inflected with Afghanish [sic] flourishes.”
“The story is absolutely heartbreaking yet transcendently gorgeous, a reflection upon love and family, the intersection between the two, and the struggles of women in everyday life. I found myself in tears by the end of the performance, the emotional weight of the words of the actors washing over me in waves throughout the opera. I would highly recommend attending.”
“The intention behind everything the Seattle Opera does is highly commendable. From hiring Afghan consultants, Afghan musicians, and other Afghan artisans, the flavor that was so needed in this story was absolutely there.”
“I enjoyed the production. It was different from any other opera I have seen, not only due to being sung in English and set in the Middle East, but also to the sheer number of scene transitions and the skillful use of lighting to illustrate dramatic effect.”
I also wanted to share the last round of preview coverage, which included pieces in a number of Dari/Farsi-speaking outlets:
Martin Bakari interview on "The Day with Trae" on Converge Media
Ashraf Sewailam and Maureen McKay on "New Day Northwest"
Sheila Silver interview on "Flotation Device" on 91.3 KBCS
At Seattle Opera, ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns’ burns brightly | Crosscut
‘A Thousand Splendid Suns’ opera spotlights Afghan women
'A Thousand Splendid Suns' primed for its Seattle Opera premiere | KNKX Public Radio