Akhnaton Films (www.akhnatonfilms.com) announced today that Sherif Sadek has been nominated as Best Director of a Short Documentary for his award winning documentary, “From Queens to Cairo” (2012), at the Madrid International Film Festival, July 1 – 6, 2013. (www.madridinternationalfilmfestival.com) nnMost recently, Sadek’s film was the winner of Best Feature Documentary at the Queens World Film Festival, NY, held in March 2013 (www.queensworldfilmfestival.com).nnThe documentary is also an Official Selection at the Rainier Independent Film Festival, Mount Rainier, WA, May 10-12, 2013 (www.rainierfilmfest.com) and was featured on Indiewire as Project of the Day. nnDon Cato, curator of the Queens World Film Festival 2013, gave high marks to Sadek’s documentary, stating, “What at first seemed ordinary, quickly turned to an unflinching drama, drawing a line between pyramids and poverty, Cairo and New York, a people’s movement for freedom and the reactions of his children. It’s a very, very fine piece of work!” nn”When I saw this [film] at the Queens World Film Festival this year, it brought tears to my eyes,” said Faiyaz Jafri, award-winning NYC filmmaker and artist (www.bam-b.com). nnThis informative and insightful documentary follows Egyptian-American filmmaker Sherif Sadek as he returns to his native Cairo with his family one year after the start of the Egyptian Revolution. With tons of misinformation flying around in the media, Sadek is determined to see for himself how Egyptians will navigate the bumpy road to democracy after decades of authoritarianism. His journey takes him from famed Tahrir Square to the inside of taxi cabs to rallies and slums as he searches for perspectives from all walks of life.nn
nnProductionnSadek shot “From Queens to Cairo” with a Nikon D7000 HDSLR. He then used ASSIMILATE’s SCRATCH software to do the conforming and turned to Jason Crump at Metropolis Post for the color grading in SCRATCH. Sadek was able to do the finishing himself, using the SCRATCH Finishing software. Sadek notes, “I work with SCRATCH every day in a technical support role for ASSIMILATE, but to experience its ease-of-use and powerful tool set as a user, gave me invaluable insight into the craft and creativity of post-production artists.”nnAbout Sherif Sadek, Akhnaton FilmsnAs an American Egyptian, this film is very personal to me. Like many others, I had been awaiting change in Egypt for a very long time. It was frustrating for me not to be able to participate in the revolution, so I was determined to bring my family with me to document the first anniversary of change. (www.akhnatonfilms.com)
Akhnaton Films Sherif Sadek 646-662-4312 Contact Sherif via email
ABC Fine Wine and Spirits Embraces Dry January With Cheeky New Ad Campaign
Bacon & Eggs, the creative shop known for its witty, imaginative and disruptive advertising, has created an innovative campaign for ABC Fine Wine and Spirits that playfully tackles the Dry January's impact on its business head-on. Through the campaign, Florida's largest family-owned wine and spirits retailer proudly proclaims its support for Dry January even as it shares its extensive selection of wines, spirits, premixed cocktails and beers found within 127 stores across the state. In the campaign's signature spot, ABC Fine Wine and Spirits cheekily announces its enthusiastic support for Dry January, then proceeds to describe its tantalizing array of velvety cabernets, perfectly frosted IPAs, and smooth whiskeys — all while insisting, of course, that viewers "definitely shouldn't" indulge in these libations during the month. "Most alcohol retailers either push non-alcoholic alternatives or go quiet during Dry January," explains Kia Zomorrodi, founder and chief creative officer of Bacon & Eggs. "We wanted to flip the script and create something that would resonate with both those participating in Dry January and those who aren't. The campaign's reverse psychology approach lets ABC own the conversation while showcasing its impressive selection in an entertaining way." The campaign arrives as ABC Fine Wine and Spirits aims to maintain brand engagement during a traditionally quiet period for alcohol sales. "This campaign perfectly captures our brand personality while acknowledging the reality of Dry... Read More