Joy Incorporated

THE DREAM OF SHAHRAZAD is a feature-length documentary film that brings together the famous story collection THE 1001 (or "ARABIAN") NIGHTS with recent political events in Egypt, Turkey and Lebanon... Description The "Arab Spring" of early 2011 was a momentous global event, raising great hopes for anyone interested in the forward march of humanity. No one, however, is yet sure about the meaning or consequences of these events... THE DREAM OF SHAHRAZAD is a feature-length documentary film which locates the Egyptian revolution - and also recent political changes in Turkey and Lebanon - within a broader historical and cultural framework: that of storytelling and music. More particularly, it looks at the legacy of the famous collection of stories known as THE 1001 (or "ARABIAN") NIGHTS. Weaving together a web of music, politics and storytelling, the film follows a series of unforgettable characters, all of whom draw their inspiration from the NIGHTS and whom, like Shahrazad - the storytelling princess in the NIGHTS who saves lives by telling stories - puts creativity to new political use... A young female Turkish violinist travels to Istanbul, where a charismatic conductor uses Rimsky-Korsakov's SCHEHERAZADE suite as a tool for political education, leading up to a final performance at Istanbul's Topkapi Palace. A young Lebanese woman makes peace with her past by learning the art of storytelling in Egypt. An older visual artist who is obsessed with THE NIGHTS finds his "dream of Shahrazad" manifesting through the appearance of a beautiful young storyteller. Members of a Cairo theatre troupe meet with the mothers of martyrs of the January 25 Revolution and turn their testimonies into new storytelling performances... This richly kaleidoscopic film is at once observational documentary, concert film, political essay and visual translation of an ever-popular symphonic and literary classic. It is a documentary homage to THE NIGHTS, to the SCHEHERAZADE suite, and to the role of a rich historical and creative legacy within huge current political change. —Francois Verster THE DREAM OF SHAHRAZAD explores recent events in Egypt, Turkey and Lebanon through the metaphor of the story collection THE 1001 NIGHTS. It weaves a tapestry of character narratives, visual impressions, political events and storytelling performances, all within the frame of a performance of Rimsky-Korsakov's SCHEHERAZADE suite in Istanbul, thereby exploring the relationships amongst art, politics and daily life. A Turkish conductor raises social awareness amongst young students; an Egyptian storyteller makes peace with her past by telling the stories of mothers who lost children during the 2011 revolution; a Lebanese actress finds meaning in her life by becoming a video blogger in Cairo; a Cairean artist has his 'dream of Shahrazad' becoming reality in the appearance of a beautiful storyteller; and more... —Anonymous Weaving together music, politics and storytelling, THE DREAM OF SHAHRAZAD explores recent social and political events in Egypt, Turkey and Lebanon through the metaphor of THE 1001 NIGHTS, and looks at the ways in which creativity and political articulation coincide in response to oppression. Drawing on Shahrazad, the princess who saves lives by telling stories, a youth orchestra conductor, a Cairean storytelling troupe, a troubled Lebanese actress and various others all put art to new political use.