Song of Lahore
Synopsis
SONG OF LAHORE examines the lives and the cultural heritage of Pakistan's classical musicians, and asks whether there is still room for them in a society roiled by social and religious upheaval. After toiling in obscurity for years, an innovative album leads Sachal Studios to international acclaim, and a triumphant concert with Wynton Marsalis and his orchestra at Jazz at Lincoln Center. This feature length documentary by Academy Award winning filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and Andy Schocken follows their dramatic journey, and asks if they will ever find an audience at home.
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The Filmmakers
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy Producer, Director
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy is an Academy Award and an Emmy Award winning documentary filmmaker. She has made over a dozen multi-award winning films in over 10 countries around the world. Her films include SAVING FACE, TRANSGENDERS: PAKISTAN'S OPEN SECRET and PAKISTAN'S TALIBAN GENERATION. Her work has aired on channels spanning 4 continents including, HBO, CNN, PBS, Channel 4, CBC, Arte, SBS and the Discovery channel.
In 2012, Time Magazine included Sharmeen in their annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. In 2013, the Canadian government awarded Sharmeen a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for her work in the field of documentary films and the World Economic Forum honored her with a Crystal Award at their annual summit in Davos.
Andy Schocken Producer, Director
Andy Schocken is a documentary filmmaker and cinematographer living in Brooklyn, NY. He was a co-producer and cinematographer for THE LAST CAMPAIGN OF GOVERNOR BOOTH GARDNER, which was nominated for an Academy Award and aired on HBO. His cinematography credits include recent and upcoming theatrically released documentaries such as BEYOND THE BRICK: A LEGO BRICKUMENTARY, FIRST POSITION, FIGHT CHURCH, and GERHARD RICHTER PAINTING. SONG OF LAHORE is his directorial debut. Andy holds a Masters degree in documentary filmmaking from Stanford University.
Festivals & Awards
Tribeca Film Festival
2015
Official Selection
Audience Award 2nd Place
IDFA
2015
Official Selection
Hamptons Film Festival
2015
Official Selection
Dubai Int’l Film Festival
2015
Official Selection
Melbourne Int’l Film Festival
2015
Official Selection
Thessaloniki Documentary Festival
2015
Official Selection
Sydney Int’l Film Festival
2015
Official Selection
Reviews
“Elegant and moving.”
-THE NEW YORK TIMES
“'Song’ positively sings. A fascinating study in cross-cultural pollination.”
-VARIETY
“A joyous and riveting film. Will have audiences grinning from ear to ear. Tells a fascinating story and mixes glorious artistry with a background that has real resonance.”
-THE WRAP