ICTS_CompletePressKi.. - Enlightenment Productions

Press kit
awards
2
PRESS QUOTES
‘Sensual, witty and elegant… In exploring the eternal conflict between love and duty in a fresh,
provocative way, Sarif demonstrates that she is a filmmaker of exceptional promise.’ Kevin
Thomas, LA Times
‘Ray and Sheth] have terrific chemistry, and an easy grace that translates beautifully to the screen…
Sarif has a strong voice and an ability to translate her stories onto the screen…the film is brimming
with life, energy and color.’ Afterellen.com
‘Sarif’s second time around proves an even greater delight..with effortlessly rich performances. A
dynamite supporting cast..add spice to a delish comedic dish.’ Next Magazine
‘The comedic touches are well-wrought…’ Time Out, New York
‘Ray and Sheth are as appealing romantically as they are visually.’ LA Weekly
‘Very smart politically, and big fun romantically,’ Now Magazine
‘…a feel-good mix of the familiar and the exotic..’ Variety
‘Despite the inclusion of heavy themes, I Can’t Think Straight maintains a light-hearted and sexy
tone, perfect for a date, an evening with friends, or a night home alone…with two beautiful leading
ladies, a happy ending, and an uplifting message, you can’t go wrong.’ Go Magazine
‘...a movie of sumptuous settings that uses absurdity and humor (along with drama) to explore
the main characters’ conundrums…characters whose charms and indiscretions are worth following’
San Francisco Chronicle
‘...a sexy romance with a dash of political bite.. in this sensitive and beautiful film.. the
cinematography, set design, and music are excellent..’ KGW.com
‘...a dramatic, coming-out indie film…genuinely funny lines…The film reminded me of ‘Bend it Like
Beckham’…I appreciate a film that can surprise me.’ The Scorecard Review
‘...the quintessential love story…Shamim Sarif’s work has a lot of redeeming qualities. Women from
different cultures trying to make their relationship work with every possible obstacle in the way—I
rather like it..’ Williamette Week
‘I Can’t Think Straight mines the always intriguing territory of stories that put people of different
ethnic or religious groups together to sort out their feeling…entertaining…’ Compuserve
3
Cast
Tala Leyla Reema Omar Housekeeper Sam Maya Yasmin Lamia Zina Kareem Ali Hani Daud Shah
Uncle Ramzi Sami Uncle Ramzi’s Wife Jennifer Lisa Ray
Sheetal Sheth
Antonia Frering
Dalip Tahil
Nina Wadia
Ernest Ignatius
Siddiqua Akhtar
Amber Rose Revah
Anya Lahiri
Kimberly Jaraj
Sam Vincenti
Rez Kempton
George Tardios
Ishwar Maharaj
Gabrielle Amies
Jessica Allsop
Crew
Director Writers Producer Executive Producers Associate Producers Director of Photography Editor Composer Production Designer Wardrobe Original Songs by Shamim Sarif
Shamim Sarif
Kelly Moss
Hanan Kattan
Kelly Moss
Lisa Tchenguiz
Mervyn Wilson
Daisy Allsop
Aida Kattan
Aseem Bajaj
David Martin
Raiomond Mirza
Katie Lee Carter
Charlie Knight
Leonie Casanova
Nadine Khouri
Running time: 80 min
4
I Can’t Think Straight
Two Cultures…Two Traditions…One Love.
Short synopsis
An exuberant, touching romantic comedy about the clashing of two worlds and cultures. Tala, a
London-based Palestinian, prepares for her elaborate wedding in Jordan when she meets Leyla, a
young British Indian woman who turns her world upside down.
Long synopsis
Tala, a London-based Jordanian of Palestinian origin prepares for an elaborate wedding with her
Jordanian fiancé, when she encounters Leyla, a young British Indian woman who is dating her best
friend Ali.
Spirited Christian Tala and shy Muslim Leyla could not be more different from each other but the
attraction is immediate. Tala’s feisty nature provokes Leyla out of her shell and soon both women
reveal their feelings for each other.
But Tala is not ready to accept the implications of the choice her heart has made and escapes back
to Jordan where her chainsmoking high-brow mother finishes preparations for an ostentatious
wedding.
As family members descend and the wedding day approaches, simmering family tensions come to
boiling point and the pressure mounts for Tala to be true to herself. Meanwhile heartbroken Leyla
relishes her newly found sense of identity and self-respect and moves on with her new life – much
to the shock of her tradition-loving Indian parents.
Single again, Tala flies back to London – but it will take more than just a date set up by Ali and
Leyla’s sister Zara to win Leyla back.
5
The Film
I Can’t Think Straight is novelist and screenwriter Shamim Sarif’s first outing as a
director, a romantic comedy where both lead protagonists are women, and
where the cultural backdrop forms an intelligent base for their journey towards
self-awareness
and each other.
The
Film
I ‘The
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twist,’ explains
producer
Hanan
Kattan.
forms an intelligent base for their journey towards self-awareness and each other.
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edgy, contemporary intelligence too.’
The international cast is headed up by Canadian actress Lisa Ray (Deepa Mehta’s Water – which
garnered
a Best Foreigncast
Picture
nomination
in 2007).
Her performance
in Water
The international
is Academy
headedAward®
up by
Canadian
actress
Lisa Ray (Deepa
earned
her the
Best Actress
Award
from the Vancouver
Film Critics
Circle. Other
cast includes
Mehta’s
Water
– which
garnered
a Best Foreign
Picture
Academy
Award®
Sheetal
Sheth
(Looking
for
Comedy
in
the
Moslem
World),
comedy
actress
Nina
Wadia
(Bend
it
nomination in 2007). Her performance in Water earned her the Best Actress
Like Beckham, Eastenders, Goodness Gracious Me) and Antonia Frering and Rez Kempton (The
Award from the Vancouver Film Critics Circle.
Mystic Masseur)
Other cast includes Sheetal Sheth (Looking for Comedy in the Moslem World),
comedy actress Nina Wadia (Bend it Like Beckham, Eastenders, Goodness
Gracious Me) and Antonia Frering and Rez Kempton (The Mystic Masseur)
International Releases:
The movie was released theatrically in the US & Canada in November 2008
and in Germany,
International
Releases Austria and the United Kingdom in April 2009. Additional
theatrical releases will occur in Switzerland, Benelux and India, with more
The movie was released theatrically in the US & Canada in November 2008 and in Germany,
countries
to
follow,
throughout
2009.
Please
check
Austria and the United Kingdom in April 2009. Additional theatrical releases will occur in
www.myspace.com/icantthinkstraightep
for the latest updates on
Switzerland,
Benelux and India, with more countries to follow.
international releases.
Please check www.enlightenment-productions.com for the latest updates on international releases.
7
6
Production and Financing
Written, directed, financed and produced almost entirely by women, the motion picture is an
Enlightenment Productions film. The company is coowned by producer Hanan Kattan and writer/
director Shamim Sarif and Enlightenment’s first completed feature was The World Unseen, which
had acclaimed premieres at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival and the London Film
Festival. The screenplay is based on Shamim Sarif’s third novel ‘I Can’t Think Straight’ which was
published in October 2008 and is available on Amazon.
The production is independently financed by private equity. The investors include Lisa Tchenguiz,
who was drawn to the film by it’s theme that finding true love means finding yourself as well as by
the unusual cultural setting. ‘Having a young, dynamic Palestinian woman as the protagonist was
an interesting departure, and the way the Arab family in the film discusses the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict felt very real to me,’ explains Tchenguiz. ‘And that reality is what we need to open up
dialogue about these issues.’
Producer Kattan, a Palestinian, agrees. ‘I was very happy that Lisa Tchenguiz, who is Jewish and of
Arab background, saw in the film’s cultural roots the potential that I did.’
The British Indian culture is also addressed, particularly the trouble families can have in coming
to terms with homosexuality. ‘We wanted a lightness of touch in dealing with these issues, not to
reduce their power, but to highlight them in a more accessible way,’ says Sarif.
Enlightenment Productions’ mandate is to achieve higher than expected production value for
the budgets involved, by tapping into the excitement and creativity of cast and crew who are
passionate about their projects. By combining manageable budgets with excellent quality scripts
and top class execution, Enlightenment is dedicated to growing their slate organically.
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I CAN’t think straight – Director’s Statement
The themes of I Can’t Think Straight are quite universal I think. Finding
ones own place within the culture and family that one is born into is
something most people grapple with as they mature. The decision when
writing the screenplay was to look at the emotional journeys of Tala and
Leyla in a light-hearted way. To use the power of absurdity and laughter
to suggest alternative points of view. Working with Kelly Moss was not
only fun, but a great help to me in crystallising characters - and making
them funny!
Also, I wanted to move away from the idea that true love can cure a
person’s problems and to explore the fact that often we need to face
up to certain aspects of ourselves and our beliefs in order to find that
true love. The shoot itself was often a struggle, as most first movies of limited resources are, but
intensified by a very difficult first financier. The schedule and budget were outside the control
of anyone on the production team and as a result we couldn’t plan the way one should for a film
shoot. Locations would change on almost a daily basis. The shooting schedule was cut by four
days with only a week to go. But I would not trade those events for anything because it gave
me invaluable experience of keeping my creative team focused and working together through
some challenging circumstances, and pushed me to learn how to come in under time and budget
without sacrificing the story. Hanan, my producer and partner, was my biggest support. Aseem
Bajaj, my DP, helped create moods and fluid shots when there seemed to be no time or equipment.
Lisa Ray and Sheetal stayed focused on their characters and were consummate professionals and
good friends. Hanan and I found great support on set from so many of the cast and crew and
through all the drama and issues we had a lot of fun and gained a lot of satisfaction from making a
scene work better than we had imagined.
And since the shoot, we regained control of the film and I consider myself incredibly lucky to be
working with a team including highly supportive Executive Producers who helped re-finance and
are passionate about getting I Can’t Think Straight to be all we originally envisioned.
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We asked the director Shamim Sarif
I Can’t Think Straight was your first film as a director. How did you get into screenwriting and
directing?
I always loved film, and my first full-length piece of writing (before I began novel-writing) was a
screenplay based on a short story I had published. It was a delicate, Remains of the Day-style piece
about an unrequited love, and I optioned it to a company in Hollywood, and waited for glory. In
fact, they did raise quite a budget but it was requisite on my adding two sex scenes and a nude
scene. Quite a tall order in an unrequited love story. That inspired me to ask Hanan to consider
producing films when she sold her hair care brands, and we set up Enlightenment Productions to
do that. At that point, I was writing the screenplay of The World Unseen and along the way we
had a couple of very talented directors attached, but the financing or structure never quite gelled.
Finally we found an equity investor for the film, and he asked to read ‘I Can’t Think Straight’ as well,
which I had just finished. As a London-based romantic comedy, he felt it would be easier to start
with that one. And I cajoled, argued and convinced my way into directing it. I should add that I had
been taking courses in direction, but of course, nothing in the ‘How to be a Director’ handbook
quite prepares you for that first day on set…
It also marks debut of your wife Hanan Kattan as film producer. How easy or difficult was it for
her to produce a movie directed by a debuting director who is also her partner?
Hanan is an inspiration for me as a writer and storyteller, but also as a producer. I love working with
her and we work very closely and symbiotically but with respect for each other’s roles. She is that
rare kind of person who can understand the creative side and is fiercely protective of it, while also
solving every problem that arises (and there are always many!) Planning a shoot is like planning
a military campaign because, once you start shooting, the bulk of your money and opportunity is
ebbing away hour by hour and can never be brought back. Hanan’s passion and excitement for our
projects also make her an inspirational leader. So good producing is not only a business but an art
form and Hanan has a natural gift for it.
Apparently there is an unbelievable story behind bringing this movie alive that would inspire a
whole new movie about ‘Challenges of Independent Filmmaking’.
In terms of the shoot, we had a financier who turned out not to have the money he claimed, and
who took complete control of the shoot, which was not what we had agreed. As a result it was
completely disorganised and there was no inclination from the financier to improve things, only
to make them infinitely worse. There was no first AD (and therefore little organisation of shots
and schedule), no continuity person, and I was under constant pressure to do only one or two
takes. It was frenetic and not a supportive atmosphere, and Hanan had the hardest job to keep
it all together when people were being treated so badly by him that they wanted to walk out. He
also cut four days out of the schedule in the final week, which made it a challenge even to finish
covering the story. I think we finished the shoot in about 25 days.
The ‘investor’ turned out to be a con artist but made it through to the end of the shoot without
paying most people, at which point the house of cards began to collapse. We had to pursue the
case through the courts to get back the negative. Luckily I had always retained my rights in the
screenplay which helped.
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What were the good experiences to counter balance that one?
When you are up against it there are always a few exceptional people who rise to the occasion. It
just would not have happened without Hanan. On that set, there were several others, but amongst
the most supportive were my DP, Aseem Bajaj, who was 100% behind me and helped me figure
out interesting shots when we knew we hardly had time to cover the action. Also Lisa Ray, Sheetal
Sheth, and indeed, all the actors – completely professional and focused when many things around
them were the opposite.
The story deals in a comical way with many multicultural, multi-religious themes. Were you
being careful about not creating any controversy? Or was it the opposite?
I didn’t feel I could depict a Middle Eastern family without touching on politics and religion. They
are the primary topics of conversation in that region, for good reason. But in doing so, I wanted to
try and show a view of both sides, and part of the reason for choosing the romantic comedy genre
was to explore this in a lighter way. These issues arouse huge emotion in people, and I wanted to
respect that while still saying that it is all right to critique a little. Because a self-critical society will
probably progress more quickly than a selfsatisfied one. If people want to find something offensive
they may be able to, but the context is as important as the line that a character speaks. Hanan, my
partner and the producer of this film, is Palestinian from Jordan. Our Executive Producer (and dear
friend of many years) Lisa Tchenguiz- Imerman is Jewish of Iraqi/Iranian background. And both of
them felt the film was balanced overall. We’ve been invited to screen the movie at the Tel Aviv Film
Festival in June, and the Palestinian Festival in London is considering it now. So I hope that means
both sides see something relevant in it.
Have you consciously focused on lesbian stories as a result of your own sexuality?
Not as much as it might seem. The first two films I have made happen to have love stories of
differing types between two women. I think the gender of my partner is irrelevant to the quality
of my work – it’s kind of an arbitrary thing to focus on in relation to my career – like the colour
of my eyes! Despite The Falling Snow (our next film project based on my second book) is an
epic love story between a man and a woman, though there is a lesbian couple whose tentative
relationship forms a subplot – I wanted this to be a natural, unremarkable relationship. Or rather,
a remarkable relationship that just happens to be between women. I don’t see lesbian themes as
being marketable only to lesbian readers. I’ve read hundreds of novels with love stories between
men and women, from Wuthering Heights to Love in the Time of Cholera – and felt emotionally
absorbed by them. The integrity of the story and the writing is what is important.
Tell us more about the process of casting of the lead characters.
Hanan and I were given very little time and no money with which to cast, so we based our search
for the leads in London. The Arab actresses I considered for the role all had issues with doing
lesbian love scenes, so we widened the net. Right about that time, I watched ‘Water’ and was
taken with Lisa Ray’s performance and the quality of her communication of an interior life. Within
two weeks, Hanan got her the script and we met and bonded over the story immediately. I had a
couple of British Indian actresses in mind for ‘Leyla’ but had the same issues over the love scenes!
When I saw Sheetal Sheth’s movies I called her in LA and she, like Lisa, saw it as a love story, and
didn’t mentionthe fact that it was between two women. That was the attitude I was looking for.
10
The film’s soundtrack is fresh and contemporary and has attracted a lot of notice. Tell us more
about that.
The movie is contemporary and urban, but also romantic – we wanted to reflect all that in the
songs. I always felt the film would contain many songs that would act as part of the score.
Leonie Casanova was the first person I approached, because I really rate her song writing and
performance very highly. She had composed a new song called ‘Little Feeling’ which worked
beautifully and she then agreed to re-record another of her other songs especially for the movie.
Nadine Khouri is another immensely talented singersongwriter whose songs fit into the mood of
the film so well. And we licensed a few songs, including two beautiful Arabic-language songs from
Natascha Atlas.
We had trouble licensing the songs we had wanted in Arabic over the first love scene though. And
so Hanan asked me to work on a song, which a friend then translated and which our composer
Raiomond Mirza wrote the music for. And inspired by that, I co-wrote another song, ‘Tell Me’, for
the film with Raiomond, which Leonie recorded for us. Raiomond produced several songs and a
score that show an amazing breadth and depth of range.
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The Book
Just like the movie based on this novel, I Can’t think Straight is a story
about spirited Christian Tala and shy Muslim Leyla, who could not be more
different from each other but the attraction is immediate. Tala’s feisty nature
provokes Leyla out of her shell and soon both women reveal their feelings for
each other. “The themes of I Can’t Think Straight are quite universal I think.
Finding one’s own place within the culture and family that one is born into is
something most people grapple with as they mature,” says Sarif. Sarif wrote
the script for I Can’t Think Straight after beginning the novel, which was
completed and released in conjunction with the US theatrical release of the
film.
The book is available on Amazon
THE SOUNDTRACK
Shamim Sarif on I Can’t Think Straight Soundtrack:
“The movie is contemporary and urban, but also romantic – we wanted to
reflect all that in the songs. I always felt the film would contain many songs
that would act as part of the score.
Leonie Casanova was the first person I approached, because I really rate her
song writing and performance very highly. She had composed a new song
called ‘Little Feeling’ which worked beautifully and she then agreed to rerecord another of her other songs especially for the movie.
Nadine Khouri is another immensely talented singersongwriter whose songs fit into the mood of
the film so well. And we licensed a few songs, including two beautiful Arabic-language songs from
Natascha Atlas and an exuberant song from Alabina for the opening scene. And nothing fit the
mood and storyline of this movie better than ‘I Kissed a Girl’.
We had trouble licensing the songs we had wanted in Arabic over the first love scene though. And
so Hanan asked me to work on a song, which a friend, Zina Haj-Hasan then translated and which
our composer Raiomond Mirza wrote the music for. And inspired by that, I co-wrote another song
for the film with Raiomond, which Leonie recorded for us. Raiomond produced several songs and a
score that show an amazing breadth and depth of range.”
The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is now available on iTunes & Amazon
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CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS BACKGROUND
UNITED KINGDOM
[In the story, Leyla is British Indian Muslim.]
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly
known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain, is a sovereign island
country located off the north-western coast of continental Europe. The
United Kingdom is governed by a parliamentary system with its seat
of government in London, the capital, and is a constitutional monarchy
with Queen Elizabeth II as the head of state. The UK is a developed
country, with the fifth (nominal GDP) or sixth (PPP) largest economy in
the world.
Religion
The United Kingdom and the countries that preceded it have long traditions of Christianity and
a link between church and state still remains in England. Research suggests that 38% of the
population have a belief in a God with a further 40% believing in a ‘spirit or life force’. People
identify themselves with religion in the UK for both cultural and religious reasons and this is
reflected by the disparity between the figures for those proclaiming a belief in a God and those
identifying themselves with a particular religion. Christianity has the largest number of adherents
followed by Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism and Judaism.
Muslims in the United Kingdom are believed to number 1.8 million. Mosques are present in most
regions: The biggest groups are of Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Indian origin. More recently, refugees
from Somalia, Northern Cyprus, the Balkans and Arab countries have increased Britain’s Muslim
population.
British Indians
British Indians (also Indian British or Indian Britons) are citizens of the United Kingdom whose
ancestral roots lie in the South Asian country of India. This includes people born in the UK, who are
of Indian descent or Indian born people who have immigrated to the UK. Today Indians number
around 1.5 million in the UK (not including those of mixed Indian and Other ancestry), making them
the single largest ethnic minority population in the country. Most Indians in the UK are Hindus with
45%, Sikhs with nearly 30%, and Muslims with 12% and there is also a strong Christian community
of 5% and many more religions.
JORDAN
[In the movie, Tala is Jordanian of Christian Palestinian origin]
Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in
Southwest Asia spanning the southern part of the Syrian Desert down
to the Gulf of Aqaba. It shares borders with Syria to the north, Iraq
to the north-east, Israel and the disputed Palestinian territories to
the west, and Saudi Arabia to the east and south. Much of Jordan is
covered by desert land, particularly the Arabian Desert, however the
north-western area, with the sacred Jordan River is regarded as part
of the Fertile Crescent.
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Jordan is a constitutional monarchy. Executive authority is vested in the king (Abdullah II) and his
council of ministers. The official language is Arabic, but English is used widely in commerce and
government and among educated people.
Jordan is a small country with limited natural resources though has a very high proportion
of skilled workers among the highest in the region. Tourism is a very important sector of the
Jordanian economy. Jordan’s major tourist activities include numerous ancient places, its unique
desert castles and unspoiled natural locations to its cultural and religious sites.
Jordan has a population of over 5 million. 95% of Jordan’s population are Arabs (2/3 of which
are of a Palestinian origin), the remaining non-Arabs of the population are mainly Circassians,
Chechens, Armenians, and Kurds, but have integrated into the Jordanian and Arab cultures in the
country. Many native Jordanians are also of European origin.
Religion
Jordan is a majority Muslim country, with 92% of the population following Sunni Islam while a small
minority of around 2% follow Shia Islam. Jordan also has a significant Christian minority, making up
around 6% of the population, mainly Greek Orthodox, Catholic or Coptic.
Jordanian Christians permanently residing in Jordan form approximately 6% of the population.
Most Christians belong to the Greek Orthodox Church (called “Ruum Urthudux” in Arabic). The rest
are Roman Catholics (called “Lateen”), Eastern Catholics who are Melkites (called “Ruum Katoleek”
to distinguish them from “Western Catholics”), and various Protestant communities including
Baptists. Christians in Jordan are of many nationalities, as evinced, for example, by the Catholic
mass being celebrated in Arabic, English, French, Italian, Spanish, Tagalog and Sinhala, as well as in
Iraqi dialects of Arabic. However, Jordanian Christians are indigenous Arabs that share the Greater
culture of Jordan and the Broader East Mediterranean Levantine Arab Identity.
In general, Muslims and Christians live together with no major problems regarding differences and
discrimination. While some families may privately have a point of view against a certain religious
group, it does not often take a public shape. There has been some recent controversy regarding
the difficulties that Christians fleeing from Iraq have faced in attempting to gain citizenship or
refugee status in Jordan.
Influence of the Southwest Asian conflict
The ongoing Arab-Israeli conflict, the Gulf War, and other conflicts in Southwest Asia have made
huge impacts on the economy of Jordan. The fact that Jordan has peace with the surrounding
countries, combined with its stability, has made it a preference for many Palestinians, Lebanese,
and people from the Persian Gulf immigrants and refugees. Though this may have resulted in a
more active economy, it has also damaged it by substantially decreasing the amount of resources
each person is entitled to. Jordan has a law that states that any Palestinian may immigrate
and obtain Jordanian citizenship, but must remit his/her Palestinian claim. Palestinians are not
allowed to purchase land unless they give up their Palestinian citizenship. In November 2005, King
Abdullah called for a “war on extremism” in the wake of three suicide bombings in Amman.
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PALESTINE & PALESTINIANS
The term Palestine is derived from Greek: /Latin: Palaestina, which refers to the biblical Philistines,
a people of Aegean origin who settled in the southern coastal plains of Canaan (Gaza Strip), in the
12th century BC, their territory being named Philistia. The name has been applied by Romans to
the entire region whose settlers included among others Arabs and Jews.
Until the establishment of the State of Israel, the meaning of the word “Palestinian” didn’t
discriminate on ethnic grounds, but rather referred to anything associated with the region. Since
the establishment of Israel, its citizens are called Israelis, while the term Palestinians usually refers
to the Palestinian Arabs.
In its common usage today, the term “Palestinian” refers to a person whose ancestors had lived in
the territory corresponding to British Mandate Palestine for some length of time prior to 1948.
The total Palestinian population worldwide is estimated to be between 10 and 11 million people,
over half of whom are stateless, lacking citizenship in any country. Palestinians are predominantly
Sunni Muslims, though there is a significant Christian minority as well as smaller religious
communities. Roughly half of all Palestinians continue to live in Israel, the West Bank, the Gaza
Strip and East Jerusalem. The other half, many of whom are refugees, live elsewhere in different
places throughout the world. The countries with the biggest Palestinian population are Jordan
(around 3 million and majority of Jordanian population), Syria and Lebanon.
Palestinians have never exercised full sovereignty over the land in which they have lived. Palestine
was administered by the Ottoman Empire until World War I, and then by the British Mandatory
authorities. Israel was established in parts of Palestine in 1948, and in the wake of the 1948 ArabIsraeli war, the West Bank and East Jerusalem were occupied by Jordan, and the Gaza Strip by
Egypt, with both countries continuing to administer these areas until Israel occupied them during
the 1967 war.
[Source: Wikipedia.org]
Art imitating Life:
In a manner of true cooperation that breaks any borders between nationalities, races and
religions, this film has been made as a collaboration of filmmakers of various cultural and religious
backgrounds. The film was produced by Hanan Kattan who is Jordanian of Palestinian origin and
of Christian heritage. It was written and directed by Shamim Sarif who is British Indian of Muslim
heritage. It could not have seen the light of the day without a substantial spiritual and financial
support of Lisa Tchenguiz-Imerman, the executive producer of the film, who is of Jewish religion
originally from Iraq.
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BIOGRAPHIES
Writer/ Director – Shamim Sarif
Writer/director Shamim Sarif is one of the rare renaissance women of recent years.
She is an equally successful author (the Pendleton May First Novel Award, Betty Trask
Award), screenwriter and film director (World Cinema Best Director at Phoenix Film
Festival, and Best Director at Clip (Tampa) Intl. Film Festival). She is an author of
several published short stories and notable music lyrics, has script-edited a children’s
TV series and directed music videos. Shamim received an Afterellen.com 2008 VISIBLITY AWARDS
as ’International Lesbian/Bi Woman of the Year’.
Shamim’s journey has been an unusual one, from prize-winning novelist to award-winning feature
film director.
Shamim’s first novel ‘The World Unseen’ won the Pendleton May First Novel Award, and then the
prestigious Betty Trask Award. The Times in London called it “an impressive debut. Sarif’s story
brings together the descriptive power of the novelist with the screenwriter’s mastery of dialogue.”
Having already written and optioned a movie script in LA, it seemed a natural fit for Shamim
to write the screenplay before going on to direct the movie. The World Unseen debuted at the
Toronto International Film Festival. I Can’t Think Straight is based on Shamim’s just-published third
novel, and represented her first time at the helm as director, having begun her studies in directing
and film at the Raindance Institute in London. ‘It was a steep learning curve and an exhilarating
experience. Not only technically, but creatively – because you can draw on the individual talents of
your actors and heads of department to enhance the ideas you have.’
Shamim also wrote the lyrics of ‘Tell Me’ and ‘Ma Fini Fakker’, songs used in I Can’t Think Straight.
Her second novel, ‘Despite the Falling Snow’ was published in London by Hodder Headline in May
2004 and St Martins Press in 2005 and received overwhelmingly excellent reviews and Shamim’s
screenplay based on the book is due for release in 2014.
Lisa Ray – ‘Miriam’
Lisa Ray is an internationally acclaimed performer with a reputation for taking on
challenging roles. Raised in Canada by an Indian father and Polish mother, she spent
few years modeling in India and dabbled in Indian films before moving to London to
attend drama school.
In her final semester she was offered a lead role in Deepa Mehta’s Oscar-nominated film Water
(2005). This earned her the attention of the international film community. She has since been
working in Canadian, American and European productions, demonstrating her range and defying
conventional casting in her characterizations.
She was voted ‘Star of the Future’ at the 2002 Toronto International Film Festival for her role in
Deepa Mehta’s Bollywood/Hollywood, one of the ‘Top Ten Most Beautiful Indian Women of the
Millenium’ by the Times of India and won the Best Actress award for her role in Water by the
Vancouver Film Critics Circle as well as numerous nominations for the same portrayal of a widow in
India in the 1930s.
Recent roles include a stoic farm girl in Leonard Farlinger’s All Hat which premiered at Toronto
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Intl. Film Festival in 2007, a small town kindergarten teacher in Camelia Frieberg’s A Stone Throw
and an Indian housewife in apartheid South Africa in the 50s in The World Unseen – marking her
second collaboration with the director Shamim Sarif. Other projects include Kill Kill Faster Faster, a
Gareth Roberts project based on the novel by Joel Rose, the thriller Seeking Fear and the romantic
comedy Quarterlife Crisis.
Lisa has a number of exciting projects in the works. She is currently reuniting with Deepa Mehta to
shoot her latest film What’s Cooking with her Water co-Star Seema Biswas. She also just finished
the CBC mini-series The Summit opposite Bruce Greenwood, Christopher Plummer and James
Purefoy.
Lisa is based in Toronto and LA.
Sheetal Sheth – ‘Layla’
Sheetal Sheth burst onto the scene with raves in her debut film, playing the lead
in ABCD - a risky, memorable, and controversial role as a promiscuous young girl
struggling with the ties of family and tradition. She paved unchartered territory by
being at the forefront of a film revolution starring in five festival-winning films by
and starring first generation South Asian Americans. She broke out as the female
lead in Shangri-La Entertainment’s film Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World starring, written
and directed by Albert Brooks, released by Warner Independent. Sheetal won the role after an
extensive international casting search. She next stars in multiple awards winning feature The World
Unseen (Official Selection- Toronto Intl Film Festival 2007) as well as I Can’t Think Straight - both
released in the US cinemas in the end of 2008.
Sheetal, an NYU TISCH graduate, has developed a reputation as a consummate professional with
an unmatched work ethic and critical eye when choosing projects. She won the Best Actress Award
at the Cinevue Film Festival for her work in Wings of Hope, and American Chai won the Audience
Award at the Slamdance Film Festival and Best Film at the Philadelphia Festival. She was brought
on to play opposite Kal Penn and Mimi Rogers in Dancing in Twilight and joined a stellar ensemble
in the film The Trouble with Romance. Sundance director Gene Rhee directed this provocative,
sexy and insightful exploration of relationships... Sheetal played a high class call girl looking for
love in this wonderful cast including Kip Pardue, Josie Davis, David Eigenberg, and Jen Siebel. She
recently completed the adventure thriller First Fear (opposite Sean Patrick Flanery and Shannon
Elizabeth), and the romantic comedy Why am I Doing This?.
Sheetal’s career is not limited to feature film- she loves theatre and has also charmed with voiceovers, music videos, TV pilots and many guest spots.
Sheetal was raised with a strong ethic of community service and while at Tisch, she was selected
to be a part of Americorps, President Clinton’s National Service program. Through Americorps,
she worked at an inner-city high school, developing progressive lesson plans, tutoring, and dealing
with conflict resolution. While at NYU, Sheetal had the distinctive honor of being a Tisch scholar
and graduated with honors. Sheetal continues to speak at panels and conferences for students and
currently works with the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles.
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Nina Wadia – ‘Housekeeper’
Nina Wadia recently starred in the award winning Eastenders and has been lighting up
the British screen and stage ever since the Emmy nominated Goodness Gracious Me
and the sitcoms All About Me, Perfect World and Chambers.
She also continues to receive critical acclaim for her big screen roles with Tim Robbins
and Samantha Morton in Michael Winterbottom’s feature film, Code 46; in Shakespeare’s The
Tempest, the TV thriller Murder In Mind, the medical drama Doctors, the highly successful TV
adaptation of Zadie Smith’s award winning novel White Teeth, and the ground breaking Vagina
Monologues, for which the Manchester Evening News nominated her for a Best Actress award.
Her dramatic turns have also included the Emmy nominated Waking The Dead, the detective series
New Tricks, and the widely viewed special episode of Casualty involving a national phone in vote.
Her wide ranging talents have extended to the popular topical show, Loose Women, the docudrama Road To Martyrdom, and a Bollywood film, Namaste London opposite venerable icon Rishi
Kapoor.
Cinematographer – Aseem Bajaj
A graduate with distinction from the University of CapeTown,Davidhas been described
Childhood- “Chasing the aeroplane shadow in the vast fields of my village and crying
for never being able to catch it, that’s probably when the game of light & shadow
began in my life in my beautiful little village, where the earth met with the sky. By the
time I was nine I knew I had to be in films so here I am chasing my dreams now and
they run rather faster then those aeroplane shadows of the yesteryears…”
Multi-award winning cinematographer Aseem Bajaj is one of India’s leading Directors of
Photography. Still only 33 years of age, he has been honoured by a number of festivals and
Filmfare (the Indian Oscar equivalent) as Best Cinematographer. A master of light and shadow,
he brings more than just technical knowledge to a set. Says director Shamim Sarif ‘Aseem has
an instinctive understanding, which he constantly deepens, for the emotion and direction of any
one scene. It is from this that he works to find the right lighting and shots. His empathy with his
directors and actors is incredible.’
Aseem is the recipient of numerous Best Cinematography awards including two International
Indian Film Awards, a Filmfare Award, an Asian First Film Festival Award, a Zee Cine Award and a
Sansui Viewer’s Choice Award
Composer – Raiomond Mirza
Composer Raiomond Mirza’s sound has a sweeping scope of influences from around
the world. It evokes the epic, the intimate, the adventurous and the experimental. His
scores are strikingly original and his songs fly straight into the listener’s heart. He has
composed music for numerous award winning film, TV, theatre and radio projects all
over the world from Montreal to New York, London, Mumbai, Lagos and the Middle
East.
His ground breaking and poignant scores have garnered praise and accolades and he continues to
expand his horizons, ambitions and musical palette.
Music Composing Credits (summary)
FEATURE FILMS
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Basra – In Pre-production
Roundheads & Cavaliers – In Pre-production
Hide He Said – In Pre-production
I Can’t Think Straight – score and 4 songs
Ealing Comedy – score and 4 songs
Manorma, Six Feet Under – score and 2 songs
Lycanthropy – Horror, Rotunda Films
TELEVISION
Wetin’ Dey – Drama, BBC World TV, 1 hour pilot
Sita Gita – Drama, Single Voice Series, ITV
DOCUMENTARY
nspired By Islam – BBC 2 TV
Sooni Taraprevala – Web trailer by Tamina Davar
We Too Are One – Barking & Dagenham Council & Fig Tree Films
RADIO
The Raj Quartet – 9 hour British/Indian period drama BBC Radio 4
Voices – 32 part African drama - BBC World
A Suitable Boy – 5 Hour Indian Romantic Mini-series - BBC Radio 4
The Nation Of Shopkeepers – Comedy - BBC Scotland
Man Talk Woman Talk – African Comedy - BBC World
Viderunt Emmanuel – Composition for soprano, santoor and treated choir.
Winner, public vote, BBC National Talent competition.
Singer/Songwriter – Leonie Casanova
Leonie Casanova is a London-based singersongwriter. She was born and raised in
Zambia to an Italian father and Zambian mother, and schooled in Swaziland, England
and the USA where she studied Economics and French Literature before working on
Wall Street. Leonie’s colourful and almost “nomadic” background has deeply informed
her approach to song-writing and what to her is the intrinsic and essential storytelling element of this process. She is a smart and sensitive lyricist and vocalist and manages to
cross and fuse genres and musical “textures” fluidly.
Approached by the film’s Director and Producer to write and record a song for The World Unseen,
Leonie was able to draw inspiration not just from the complexity of the relationships and topics
explored in the novel (and the script), but also from her own experiences as a child in and in close
proximity to South Africa, during and post Apartheid. The product, “Broken” is a layered and
moving piece over the end of the film. The song was recorded in Cape Town with prolific producer
and musician Murray Anderson who brought a subtle yet warm South African feel to the track.
Leonie also plays “Doris” – the “coloured” waitress in The World Unseen. ‘I Can’t Think Straight’
features two original songs by Leonie, ‘Little Feeling’ and ‘Holy Daughter’ and she performs a
third track specially written for the movie. Enlightenment Production recently produced the music
videos for ‘Little Feeling’ and ‘Broken’, which was the end credit song in the movie ‘The World
Unseen’. The variety and depth of her work are evident in the range she shows in both films.
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Nadine Khouri – Singer/Songwriter
Nadine Khouri is a singer-songwriterguitarist influenced by displacement and rock
n’roll. Her self-produced debut ‘Cuts from the Inside’ was recorded in transit and
released on her own label in late 2005.
In the past years, she has performed in numerous venues across Europe and the
U-K - including Spitz, St Barnabas Chapel, Human Rights Film Festival, and has shared the stage
with Petra Jean Phillipson, Sleeping States, Hush the Many (Heed the Few), Meanwhiles, and Jack
Peñate... Live, she usually plays solo, with her jumbo acoustic plugged into various loops and
effects.
Producer – Hanan Kattan
Hanan has a unique talent for combining a deep passion for her projects with the
ability to thrive in a highly competitive environment. She gets things done, and she
always gets others as excited about her ideas as she is - qualities which make her a
success in her role as a film producer.
Hanan created Enlightenment Productions in partnership with Shamim Sarif
solidifying the intense creative partnership between the two. The company is dedicated to
producing entertaining, low to medium budget features that have integrity and individuality.
Enlightenment Productions’ and Shamim Sarif’s directorial debut I Can’t Think Straight also marks
Hanan’s debut as a film producer. She successfully shepherded the project through the script stage
and into financing before attaching a talented cast and crew and running the project through
production. She succeeded equally well with Shamim’s second feature film The World Unseen.
Since their release both films have gone on to sweep the international circuit. The World Unseen
has won a total of 20 awards, while I Can’t Think Straight has won 8 to date.
Enlightenment’s current projects include two other works by Shamim. The Reader, a period drama
about a young American boy at Oxford and the relationship he forms with a blind Englishwoman,
is being structured as a British production. Despite The Falling Snow is a sweeping tale of passion
and betrayal in Cold War Russia based on Shamim’s novel of the same name.
Hanan’s background includes building a successful distribution cosmetic company and creating
an entirely new product category – that of holistic premium mass-market products. Marie Claire
magazine has labeled her method of work ‘beauty with a conscience’.
Executive Producer – Lisa Tchenguiz
Lisa is a strong supporter of Children and Cancer Charities and sits on the board of
several charities in the UK.
I Can’t Think Straight is the second of Lisa’s collaborations with Enlightenment
Productions (‘The World Unseen’ and “Despite he Falling Snow’ being the others) and
her focus as Executive Producer for both films has been the sales and marketing to
which she brings a unique flair.
Her brothers are the renowned and colourful property magnates Vincent and Robert Tchenguiz.
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Associate Producer – Daisy Allsop
Daisy studied Philosophy at Cambridge University where she was immersed in student
drama, helped found a new theatre in her college grounds, produced a number of
plays and sent a production to Edinburgh. In her summers she worked on television
documentaries, on Channel 4 News, as a producer’s assistant on two features, and as
a freelance script reader for Intermedia and Working Title. After graduating she spent
a year as Acquisitions Assistant at Downtown Pictures, an independent UK distributor.
In early 2001 she joined Capitol Films, a leading UK sales, production and financing company
where she spent three years as Development & Acquisitions Executive. She was heavily involved in
the acquisition and development of her favourite project Five Children & It, and moved across to
work for producer Nick Hirschkorn, on the production.
She now remains at Feel Films as Head of Development, managing their slate of projects to see
them through to production and beyond. Feel Films are one of the UK Film Council ‘Superslate’
companies and are developing a number of projects including two adaptations of Whitbread prize
winning books, and working with some highly acclaimed writers and directors.
Daisy was a founder of Stellar Network UK, a membership organisation that connects professionals
in film, television and theatre. For Stellar she developed relationships with Bafta, the Film Council,
BFI and key UK organisations and distributors. In her spare time she is also a screen-writer, and
has representation for her recently completed script. She has a regular slot as a ‘film pundit’ on the
national radio station Classic Gold reviewing new releases and reporting from film festivals. She has
served on a number of panels and short film jury’s, given script development workshops for the
BFI and is on this year’s the jury for the Rushes Soho Shorts Festival.
Associate Producer – Aida Kattan
Based in Los Angeles, Aida started her career in the film industry with an internship
at Mandalay Pictures while attending USC, where she graduated with a Bachelor’s
degree in English Literature.
After graduating from University, Aida gained experience in all aspects of the film
business with a variety of production jobs, including script supervisor and casting assistant on
several independent productions. She transitioned into development soon after, spending three
years as a development assistant then story editor at Kingman Films, an independent production
company in Los Angeles.
Aida then joined The Hatchery, a new company specializing in kids and family entertainment,
where she remained for four years. In the spring of 2007, Aida moved back into production,
travelling to South Africa to work as a 2nd 2nd AD on the feature film The World Unseen.
Upon returning to the United States, she joined Nash Entertainment as a researcher on several of
their television shows. Aida is currently working as a coordinator on a television show for Nash in
Los Angeles while working on developing her slate as an Associate Producer.
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IN the press - shamim sarif
Shamim Sarif’s stories embrace timeless themes of love and lessons of the heart
Creating characters imbued with quiet strength, who find the courage to find their voices and
speak up to make changes in their lives, has earned critical acclaim for author Shamim Sarif.
Her first novel, The World Unseen, won the Pendleton May First Novel Award, and then the
prestigious Betty Trask Award. The Times in London called it “an impressive debut. Sarif’s story
brings together the descriptive power of the novelist with the screenwriter’s mastery of dialogue.”
Set in apartheid South Africa in the 1950s and inspired by the true stories of Sarif’s grandmother
and her Indian/South African heritage, Sarif went on to adapt the novel into a screenplay and,
more unusually, direct the film herself. The movie was produced by her life and business partner
Hanan Kattan through their company Enlightenment Productions and has recently won the
Audience Best Motion Picture Award from the Paris Feminist & Lesbian film festival
In The World Unseen free-spirited Amina has broken all the rules of her own conventional Indian
community and the new apartheid-led government by running a café with Jacob, her “coloured”
business partner. When she meets Miriam, a young traditional wife and mother, their unexpected
attraction pushes Miriam to question the rules that bind her. As Amina helps Miriam’s sister-in-law
to hide from the police, a chain of events is set in motion that changes both women forever.
The World Unseen débuted at the Toronto International Film Festival and is released in Canada and
the US November 2008, and in South Africa in February 2008.
I Can’t Think Straight, produced back-to-back with The World Unseen and scheduled for
simultaneous theatrical release, is based on Shamim’s upcoming third novel, and represented her
first time at the helm as director, having begun her studies in directing and film at the Raindance
Institute in London. “It was a steep learning curve and an exhilarating experience. Not only
technically, but creatively – because you can draw on the individual talents of your actors and
heads of department to enhance the ideas you 31 have,” says Sarif, who also wrote the lyrics of Tell
Me and Ma Fini Fakker, songs used in I Can’t Think Straight.
“I love music, I play the piano - enough to please myself, not others,” smiles Sarif. “I had always
had a desire to write a song one day. That day came more quickly than I had imagined and under
more pressured circumstances, when the owners of the Arabic love song I wanted under the first
love scene in I Can’t Think Straight would not give us clearance for use under a scene between two
women.”
I Can’t Think Straight is the story of spirited Christian Tala and shy Muslim Leyla, who could not be
more different from each other but the attraction is immediate. Tala’s feisty nature provokes Leyla
out of her shell and soon both women reveal their feelings for each other.
“It was a question of needing something, and not wanting to compromise the Arabic side of it
so I wrote the lyrics I wanted in English and a friend of ours translated,” explains Sarif. “Having
established a precedent Hanan suggested I try another song and that was how Tell Me came
about.” Wearing the many creative hats that she does, Sarif says she luckily does not feel any
tension between the various roles.
“They are all extensions of story telling but in very different forms, and I think the key is to let go
and to banish the ‘novelist’ when directing, for example,” she reflects. “You can never just translate
a story directly from one medium to another. It is a new creative process completely. But I love the
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change from one to the other – inevitably I learn more about different aspects of the story, theme
or characters in the process.” Sarif’s stories embrace the timeless themes of love, prejudice, finding
your voice and lessons of the heart.
It is passionate and provocative stories such as these that embody Enlightenment Production’s
ethos of developing stories that challenge convention. “Both movies talk about discovering your
voice and then using that voice. Miriam in The World Unseen and Leyla in I Can’t Think Straight are
quiet characters, but when faced with an opportunity to change their lives, they take it,” explains
Sarif. “Small changes can have a huge impact on the course of a life, and I love exploring that daring to challenge rules and traditions that people generally do not question, that are accepted
just because they have existed for a long time. And while the stories are specific in time and place,
those themes, of being true to yourself, as very universal and I think that’s what readers and
viewers respond to.”
Sarif find this to be relevant to herself as well. Being honest about herself and having integrity have
been part of her personal choices, she says. “In coming to terms with being gay in a culture that
didn’t readily accept that – and professionally. Setting up Enlightenment, working to produce our
own independent films, has been an unusual choice – certainly not a safe one. But it was the way
we always wanted to live.”
Sarif’s second novel, Despite the Falling Snow, received overwhelmingly excellent reviews and
she has adapted this moving tale set in cold war Russia and present day United States into a
screenplay. The picture will be helmed by Sarif and produced by Hanan Kattan next winter,
showing that there is no stopping this winning combination.
“I have lots of stories still to tell, but I can’t tell them without Hanan’s input! We work closely
creatively, as well as on production and finance,” says Sarif. “I think the stories and themes will
continue to evolve as we evolve and our view of the world and our interaction with it changes and
brings us different experiences.”
“I’m drawn to stories where people uncover their own power and start to change things around
them. I think integrity and courage are rare and charismatic qualities and I like to be around them.”
Directing and producing duo rise to the challenges of their debut film
From never having been on a film set before to being the driving creative force behind not one, but
two full-length motion pictures due for release in the same month, Shamim Sarif and Hanan Kattan
have achieved goals beyond their wildest dreams.
Sarif made waves in the literary world when her first novel, The World Unseen, was published to
critical acclaim. It went on to win the Pendleton May First Novel Award and the prestigious Betty
Trask Award.
Sarif subsequently adapted the screenplay for the feature film of The World Unseen, which she
also directed, but not before making her directorial debut with I Can’t Think Straight, another of
her novels which she adapted for the screen. The World Unseen movie has now been awarded the
Audience Best Picture Award from the Paris Feminist & Lesbian film festival.
Both films will be released in the US and Canada during November 2008, and The World Unseen is
due for release in South Africa in February 2009, where it is set and was shot.
Written, directed, financed and produced almost entirely by women, both films are Enlightenment
Productions movies produced by Sarif’s business and life partner Hanan Kattan. Lisa Tchenguiz
serves as executive producer on both films, while actresses Lisa Ray and Sheetal Sheth take the
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lead roles in both films.
Commenting on the all-female team, Kattan says: “There was a lot of passion, a lot of positive
emotions and a lot of multi-tasking and co-operation. “Both our projects happened to attract a
lot of women, from producers to heads of departments, and it is a blessing to work with so many
talented and passionate women who have integrity and who deeply understand the messages and
stories being told.”
I Can’t Think Straight focuses on the relationship between the spirited Christian Tala (Ray) and the
shy Muslim Leyla (Sheth) and the trouble that their love affair causes for them and their families.
Tala, a London-based Palestinian prepares for an elaborate wedding with her fiancé, when she
encounters Leyla, a young British Indian woman who is dating her best friend Ali. The two women
could not be more different from each other but the attraction is immediate. Tala’s feisty nature
provokes Leyla out of her shell and soon both women reveal their feelings for each other.
Sarif wrote the script for I Can’t Think Straight after beginning the novel, which was completed
later and will be released in conjunction with the film, which was shot in and around London. “.
It helped that we live in London and knew what we wanted,” says Kattan. “For example, we used
Battersea Park where Shamim and I often go with our sons.”
With a longstanding business and personal relationship, Sarif and Kattan combine forces as a
powerful symbiotic team. “Collaborating with Hanan as a producer is a dream. I consider her a
‘creative’ producer in that she has a relatively rare quality of being able to understand exactly what
a particular story wants to say and to then go about moving heaven and earth to achieve that
logistically,” says Sarif.
“And Hanan has such a passion for people and ideas she believes in. It comes from the heart and
from integrity and people respond to that very well,” she adds. Logistically, a working partnership
makes sense, says Kattan. “On the film production, it is wonderful working together as we can
travel together as a couple and as a family. “At times we have some conflict or differing ideas but
when it is a creative decision, Shamim has the final say. Plus it is healthy to have differing views as
we end up pushing boundaries which is always a good thing.”
Working together is a privilege, says Sarif: “I feel very, very lucky to have someone always
supporting me who has the same end vision in mind. There are undoubtedly days when it is
pressured, when I wish I could go home to my wife and not my producer, but we try and balance
that and stay aware of it.” While there are certainly advantages to the working partnership, making
their first film together brought with it immense challenges. “Neither of us had been on a set
before, so in terms of experience we had to learn very quickly,” says Sarif. “But I loved directing,
and the learning curve, particularly working with the actors. The feeling of watching a good take
from an actor; of seeing the story unfold and working to shape it as it does, is thrilling.
“I think the ultimate reward is being in the cinema and sensing or hearing people’s reactions which,
so far, have been amazing.”
Creative team delivers back-to-back feature films in record time
Award-winning author Shamim Sarif is showing the world that women’s ability to multi-task is
something to be taken seriously. Not only has she adapted two of her own novels for the screen
but she has directed both efforts to critical acclaim, as well as writing the lyrics for two songs on a
soundtrack.
Sarif made her directorial debut with I Can’t Think Straight, which was swiftly followed by the
adaptation of The World Unseen. Both films are scheduled for release in the US and Canada in
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November 2008, and The World Unseen will be released in South Africa – where it is set and was
shot - in February 2008.
In addition, both films were produced by Sarif’s life and business partner Hanan Kattan of
Enlightenment Productions, the film company they founded together.
“Doing two films in a little over two years, as director, producer and writer has been a rollercoaster
ride,” says Sarif, who, along with Kattan, balances a busy career with motherhood. “To work well
creatively, you really have to immerse and that is where Hanan helps me so much. Having two
mummies for our boys feels like the bare minimum we need!
“We try to balance work to happen during school hours as much as possible, and then at night
after they’re asleep. Travelling away from them a lot this past year has been the hardest thing for
me, as I had to go back and forth to India for post production and then to festivals all over the
world.” Working on two feature films back to back was challenging for Sarif and Kattan. “That was
very hard. We did not expect to get the go ahead so soon after shooting I Can’t Think Straight,”
recalls Kattan. “In fact a week after we finished shooting, our dear friend Katherine Priestley who became one of our exec producers on The World Unseen - met with us and said we should
seriously look into starting production on The World Unseen and before we knew it, we had the
budget and the funding in place and we moved to South Africa.”
“It was very tough for us personally and for the boys who have been amazing and patient. We
were lucky in that we had a great support around us from family and friends.”
With the challenges come great rewards, of course. “It is an exhilarating process,” agrees Kattan.
“Having lived with the characters Shamim has created through her novels and scripts, to see them
come alive is breathtaking. And to see the various layers of film making from the editing, to music,
sound, effects, grading to the final mix is astonishing. “Then to be invited to one of the leading
film festivals – Toronto - for our world premiere is unimaginable for most films with a sell out of
each performance and to experience the standing ovations and the reactions of the audience is
humbling and rewarding at so many levels.”
Unrelenting effort, a shared vision and solid teamwork has assured Enlightenment Productions
has achieved its highest goals despite the warnings from experienced film makers that it would be
incredibly tough to do so. Or perhaps it was in spite of those cautions. “We managed to produce
two features back to back, sell them ourselves, get a North American theatrical release for both
films, get the same six-figure offer for each film, and to get offers from other markets,” says
Kattan. “There is not one day that passes by that Shamim and I don’t feel grateful for the love and
support that we have had from the start of this journey which has enabled us to make our dreams
into reality and to realise how truly blessed we are.”
Drawing extensively on her South African and Indian heritage, Sarif’s debut novel The World
Unseen was published to critical acclaim, going on to win the Pendleton May First Novel Award
and the prestigious Betty Trask Award. The World Unseen is a human drama inspired by true
stories of Sarif’s grandmother’s life in South Africa during the 1950s when apartheid began its
treacherous grip on the country, leaving individuals to deal with a long battle for independence
and identity.
It is a story of universal human emotions and embraces timeless themes of love, prejudice,
finding your voice and lessons of the heart. It is a passionate and provocative story that embodies
Enlightenment Production’s ethos of developing stories that challenge convention.
Lisa Ray and Sheetal Sheth take the two leads in The World Unseen and also in I Can’t Think
Straight, which is tagged as “Just another British, Indian, Muslim,
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Arab, Christian, lesbian Romantic comedy…”
It’s a story about spirited Christian Tala and shy Muslim Leyla, who could not be more different
from each other but the attraction is immediate. Tala’s feisty nature provokes Leyla out of her shell
and soon both women reveal their feelings for each other.
“The themes of I Can’t Think Straight are quite universal I think. Finding one’s own place within the
culture and family that one is born into is something most people grapple with as they mature,”
says Sarif.
Completed after the film as Sarif’s third novel, the book of I Can’t Think Straight has been released
in conjunction with the motion picture release in the US in November on Amazon.com.
Enlightenment productions achieves historic achievement with simultaneous theatrical
releases
Never before in the history of modern cinema releasing have two completely different films by the
same writer/director, producer, lead cast and distributor played in the same cinema simultaneously.
When romantic comedy ‘I Can’t Think Straight’ debuts on Friday the 21st of November it will play
at the Carlton Cineplex in Toronto alongside multi-award winning drama ‘The World Unseen’, which
had it’s North American release two weeks ago. It’s an achievement that caps off an amazing year
for fledging company Enlightenment Productions.
Written, directed, financed and produced almost entirely by women, both films are written and
directed by Shamim Sarif (with Kelly Moss serving as cowriter on I Can’t Think Straight) and
produced by Sarif’s business and life partner Hanan Kattan. Lisa Tchenguiz-Imerman serves as
executive producer on both films, while actresses Lisa Ray and Sheetal Sheth take the lead roles in
both films.
Commenting on the all-female team, Kattan says: “There was a lot of passion, a lot of positive
emotions and a lot of multi-tasking and co-operation.’ I Can’t Think Straight focuses on the
relationship between the spirited Christian Tala (Ray) and the shy Muslim Leyla (Sheth) and
the trouble that their love affair causes for them and their families. Moving between the vast
enclaves of Middle Eastern high society and the stunning backdrop of London’s West End, I Can’t
Think Straight explores the clashes between East and West, love and marriage, conventions and
individuality, creating a humorous and tender story of unexpected love and unusual freedoms.
Sarif wrote the script for I Can’t Think Straight after beginning the novel, which was completed
later and is released next week on www.amazon.com.
Using the stunning South African landscape and jazz tunes of the time, The World Unseen explores
a system that divides white from black and women from men, but one that might just allow
unexpected love to survive. The movie has garnered seven festival awards and 13 South African
Film Awards nominations.
With a longstanding business and personal relationship, Sarif and Kattan combine forces as a
powerful symbiotic team. “Collaborating with Hanan as a producer is a dream. I consider her a
‘creative’ producer in that she has a relatively rare quality of being able to understand exactly
what a particular story wants to say and to then go about moving heaven and earth to achieve
that logistically,” says Sarif. “And Hanan has such a passion for people and ideas she believes in. It
comes from the heart and from integrity and people respond to that very well,” she adds.
While there are certainly advantages to the working partnership, making their first films together
brought with it immense challenges. “Neither of us had been on a set before, so in terms of
26
experience we had to learn very quickly,” says Sarif. “But I loved directing, and the learning curve,
particularly working with the actors. The feeling of watching a good take from an actor; of seeing
the story unfold and working to shape it as it does, is thrilling. I think the ultimate reward is being
in the cinema and sensing or hearing people’s reactions which, so far, have been amazing.”
The movie edition book of The World Unseen as well as I Can’t Think Straight is available at
www.amazon.com.
in the press - ENLIGHTENMENT PRODUCTIONS
Illuminating human stories are the backbone of Enlightenment Productions
Necessity is the mother of invention, and it was also the very practical reason for partners Shamim
Sarif and Hanan Kattan to combine their formidable producing, writing and directing skills to cofound film production company Enlightenment Productions.
Sarif, who has adapted several of her stories and novels for the big screen, as well as directing the
films, had optioned a script to Hollywood for years. When she finally got the call to say funding
had been raised there were certain conditions attached – adding two love scenes to a story of
unrequited love - and she could not agree to the terms.
“Shamim convinced me to try producing her films,” says Kattan. “I feel passionately about her
work and it made sense for us as a couple and as a family to work together.” Their first project was
Sarif’s adaptation of her work-in-progress, I Can’t Think Straight. Five hundred pages into a first
draft of the novel, Sarif became stuck, so Kattan suggested she write the script instead. “As soon
as the script was completed, we were green lit to produce with Shamim directing her first feature,”
says Kattan.
Filmed in London, I Can’t Think Straight focuses on the relationship between the spirited Christian
Tala and the shy Muslim Leyla and the trouble that their love affair causes for them and their
families.
Kattan and Sarif went on to produce another motion picture based on Sarif’s award winning novel
The World Unseen, set against the backdrop of 1950s apartheid and explores unconventional
relationships during troubled times. It is inspired by Sarif’s grandmother’s stories and taps into her
South African and Indian heritage. The film was shot entirely on location in Cape Town. Both films
will be released in the US and Canada in November, and collectively reflect Kattan and Sarif’s – and
Enlightenment Productions’ – ethos of creating films with sensitive yet powerful universal themes.
With a head office based in London, and a satellite office in Los Angeles, Enlightenment has a
policy of employing people who are best suited for the job and who feel passion for the material
“We look for dedication, hard workers, and people who are pro-active and who have an affinity
with the material and what we are trying to do,” says Kattan, who comes to film production from
a very different background in distribution and marketing, although the qualities that drive her to
success are universal. “I have always worked for myself in business and have never had any fear in
trying out new things that interested me and that I felt passionate about,” she says.
Sarif’s own background was in finance for 10 years before becoming a full time novelist and film
director. “Shamim was a crucial part of constructing our business plans for both movies,” says
Kattan. “Our amazing friends - who are highly successful business women and who invested in
our movies - believed strongly in our financial model and also in the themes of our projects which
27
meant we had a marvellous team of women supporting us
Kattan and Sarif have worked together for many years and in other businesses besides the film
industry. “On the film production, it is wonderful working together as we can travel together as a
couple (for shooting, post production and festivals) and as a family” says Kattan. “At times we have
differing ideas but when it is a creative decision, Shamim has the final say as far as I am concerned.
Plus it is healthy to have varied views as we end up pushing boundaries, which is always a good
thing.” When Kattan first walked onto the set of her and Sarif’s debut film, I Can’t Think Straight,
she was a novice at movie production. “We put together budgets, raise financing, assemble teams
to work with during pre-production, production and post production,” Kattan explains. “It also
means reading and agreeing to hundreds of contracts with cast, crew, investors, music, and more which is probably my least favourite part of production. The upside is I feel I am getting close to a
law degree,” she quips.
It’s a stressful and challenging environment with many balls being kept in the air on a daily basis:
“There’s always the worry as to whether the shoot will come on time, that everyone is where they
are supposed to be and on schedule, that the cash flow is in place to pay the cast, crew, locations
and equipment in a timely manner, that everyone is looked after well and fed well, and their
movement to and from set is running smoothly and so on,” says Kattan, sounding remarkably calm
while listing these exhausting responsibilities..
With the challenges come great rewards, of course. “It’s an exhilarating process,” agrees Kattan.
“Having lived with the characters Shamim has created through her novels and scripts, to see them
come alive is breathtaking. And to see the various layers of film making from the editing, to music,
sound, effects, grading (colour correction) to the final mix is astonishing.
“To be invited to one of the leading film festivals – Toronto - for our world premiere is
unimaginable for most films and to experience the standing ovations and the reactions of a sellout audience is humbling and rewarding at so many levels.” Unrelenting effort, a shared vision and
solid teamwork has assured Enlightenment Productions has achieved its highest goals despite the
warnings from experienced film makers that it would be incredibly tough to do so. Or perhaps it
was in spite of those cautions.
“I am glad we listened to all the advice from people who have been in the film industry for over 15
years and who know it more intimately than we did,” says Kattan. “But I am equally glad we went
with our gut feelings and did what felt right. “We managed to produce two features back to back,
sell them ourselves, get a North American theatrical release for both films, get the same six-figure
offer for each film, and to get offers from other markets.
“There is not one day that passes by that Shamim and I don’t feel grateful for the love and support
that we have had from the start of this journey which has enabled us to make our dreams into
reality and to realise how truly blessed we are.”
Dynamic duo make sweet music
The dynamic writing, directing and producing dream team that is Shamim Sarif and Hanan Kattan
have added to their achievements with the establishment of Enlightenment Records to produce
the music and soundtracks of their films.
Life and business partners Sarif and Kattan already helm the successful Enlightenment Productions
, through which they have produced two back-to-back feature films based on Sarif’s novels. The
World Unseen and I Can’t Think Straight are remarkable in many ways, including their simultaneous
release in the US and Canada, and their themes of unconventional love that triumphs against all
28
odds.
The multi-talented Sarif, who not only wrote the novels which she adapted for the screen herself
and directed the films, has now turned her skills towards directing the music videos of songs from
the films, with Kattan serving as producer. In addition, Sarif wrote the lyrics of Tell Me and Ma Fini
Fakker, songs used in I Can’t Think Straight.
“I love music, I play the piano - enough to please myself, not others,” smiles Sarif. “I had always
had a desire to write a song one day. That day came more quickly than I had imagined and under
more pressured circumstances, when the owners of the Arabic love song I wanted under the first
love scene in I Can’t Think Straight would not give us clearance for use under a scene between two
women.”
The two music videos currently in production are for the songs ‘Broken’ from The World Unseen
and ‘Little Feeling’ from I Can’t Think Straight, both of which were written and performed by
London-based singer/songwriter Leonie Casanova.
Born and raised in Zambia to an Italian father and Zambian mother, and schooled in Swaziland,
England and the USA where she studied economics and French literature before working on Wall
Street, Casanova’s colourful and almost “nomadic” background has deeply informed her approach
to songwriting and what to her is the intrinsic and essential story-telling element of this process.
“The moment I first heard Leonie sing on stage in a club in London, I was blown away,” recalls Sarif.
“Not only does she have a phenomenal voice and great presence on stage, but more importantly
for me, her lyrics were intelligent and moving, and combined with music that carries intense
emotion – it was a stunning combination.”
When she was approached by Sarif and Kattan to write and record a song for The World Unseen,
Casanova was able to draw inspiration not just from the complexity of the relationships and topics
explored in the novel (and the script), but also from her own experiences as a child in and in close
proximity to South Africa, during and post Apartheid.
The result, Broken, is a layered and moving piece over the end credits of the film. The song was
recorded in Cape Town with prolific producer and musician Murray Anderson who brought a subtle
yet warm South African feel to the track.
I Can’t Think Straight features two original songs by Casanova - Little Feeling and Holy Daughter.
Casanova also sang the song ‘Tell Me’ which Sarif wrote the lyrics for, and which features in the
film. Because of the inherent difficulties of getting existing record labels to release soundtracks for
relatively small independent films, Sarif and Kattan decided to set up Enlightenment Records to
do just that. “We believe in the music and songs of our films and we felt strongly that we should
create our own record label to release the film sound tracks,” says Kattan. “In addition to the two
music videos we hope to launch Leonie’s first album. That is just the beginning as we will take on
other projects down the line that we feel passionate about.”
Concepts for the music videos are very much Sarif’s area of expertise, in terms of style and
imagery. “For ‘Little Feeling’, we looked at creating a sense of some of the outdoor park scenes
we had in I Can’t Think Straight – those moments when the relationship was beginning, and where
the song so delicately highlights the intensity of unspoken emotion,” explains Sarif. “It will be
clean and fresh, something that lets the song shine through. ‘Broken’ from The World Unseen is a
different challenge and we wanted something contemporary that would still work with the period
of the film. It will have a darker, smokier, more moody feel. It’s such a rich piece of writing, with
great complexity and no easy answers.
29
In directing what is essentially a mini movie, Sarif’s goal is to be faithful to the emotions conveyed
in the songs and to retain their characters, as well as that of Casanova. “It’s a question of finding
images, creating emotional connections to the audience through those images, that evoke the
feelings of the songs,” says Sarif.
* I Can’t Think Straight is the story of spirited Christian Tala and shy Muslim Leyla, who could not
be more different from each other but the attraction is immediate. Tala’s feisty nature provokes
Leyla out of her shell and soon both women reveal their feelings for each other.
* Set in apartheid South Africa in the 1950s and inspired by the true stories of Sarif’s grandmother
and her Indian/South African heritage, The World Unseen is the story of free-spirited Amina
who has broken all the rules of her own conventional Indian community and the new apartheidled government by running a café with Jacob, her “coloured” business partner. When she meets
Miriam, a young traditional wife and mother, their unexpected attraction pushes Miriam to question
the rules that bind her. As Amina helps Miriam’s sister-in-law to hide from the police, a chain of
events is set in motion that changes both women forever.
Palestinian film producer Hanan Kattan breaks the mould and finds a voice for arab women
A Palestinian woman of Christian background from Jordan, Hanan Kattan has broken down the
barriers imposed by Middle Eastern culture and tradition to become not only a successful business
woman, but a film producer with her own production company.
Kattan, in partnership with Shamim Sarif, founded Enlightenment Productions and together they
have written, adapted, directed and produced two major feature films in less than three years
which are due for back-to-back release in the US and Canada in November, 2008.
The World Unseen and I Can’t Think Straight are both based on novels by Sarif, and explore
unconventional relationships and how women find the strength to overcome adversity. “In the
Middle East, Arab women are not usually encouraged to explore the meaning of happiness and
passion. Introspection is not common” says Kattan. “Instead the emphasis is on doing what is
expected within the norm of society and the social fabric.”
Growing up in Jordan was a wonderful experience for Kattan. “I grew up with a larger-than-life
paternal grandfather who was warm, generous, inspiring, who gave back to the community,
was highly successful and who taught me from a young age that I can achieve whatever I am
passionate about,” recalls Kattan. “He also taught me that being a woman from the Middle East
should not have a bearing on what I decide to do with my life.”
But life in the Middle East had its drawbacks “What I love about that part of the world is the food,
some of the music, the warmth of the people and some aspects of the lifestyle. But there are
many aspects that I find hard to deal with,” says Kattan. “You are assessd by your family name,
your religion and background which are a very important part of one’s identity in the Middle East
verusus one’s individuality and personal accomplishments. And there are still many social taboos.”
Kattan herself resisted labelling with youthful rebellion that saw her getting into trouble for not
accepting everything she was told, and questioning most things but those taboos still haunted
her when she decided to come out regarding her relationship with Sarif. It caused friction with her
family and some shock value in the society she grew up in.
“It took me a while to come to terms with being gay, and in my twenties I went through several
engagements in an attempt to conform to what was expected of me. But I realised I did not want
to live dishonestly. Life is too short.”
30
No matter where we come from, our history and upbringing are intrinsic parts of who we become,
and Kattan is no exception. As a film maker, she is very much influenced and affected by who
she is. “I feel terrible that a large percentage of Arab women have a constricted voice and a
limited say in the fabric of society,” she says. “They are given the freedom in their homes and
with their children, to a certain extent, but when it comes to many other issues women still have a
constrained voice and not many choices or possibilities to develop and explore their passions.”
Although this is changing, the reform is taking place within confined limits of what is acceptable.
“It takes a lot of strength and courage for an Arab woman to first find her voice and understand
what deeply matters to her as a person and then to have the courage to express her voice and to
take steps towards achieving her goals, dreams, desires and passions,” says Kattan. This is why she
is so moved by partner Sarif’s work, and inspired to make the films of her stories.
“Shamim has very strong female protagonists who inspire, motivate and challenge and who take
small steps to make a big difference in their own lives and in the lives of those around them. I hope
some of those characters in our movies and in Shamim’s novels will help women to find their voice
and what matters to them,” says Kattan.
Having taken on – and conquered – the formidable task of producing and selling two feature films
back-to-back without any prior experience in the film industry, Kattan has every reason to feel
proud of her achievements. “I have always enjoyed being in business; it was a natural fit,” she says.
“But the passion for my partner’s novels and scripts and her asking me to produce her films - a
field that was completely new to me - inspired me to produce both of Shamim’s novels with her
directing them.
“We make a wonderful team as we operate from the same premise which is our passion for the
material.. The learning curve has been tremendous and the adventure has been wonderful despite
the many stresses.” Given the inherent constraints imposed on women from the Middle East,
Kattan could easily be recognised as a strong role model for other young Arab women but she
believes it’s most important to first look to yourself. “I try to inspire and support my partner, my
children, my family and friends,” says Kattan. “I also try to reflect on how I am living my life, the
choices I am making, and the people with whom I choose to surround myself.”
In an effort to create positive change in the world, Kattan and Sarif are planning to set up a
foundation focusing on children and education, particularly in Africa. The couple have strong links
with the continent through Sarif’s heritage, and the father of their children. “It is our small way to
contribute, to give our boys an example of how important it is to think outside of themselves by
helping others,” says Kattan. “I hope it will help focus them on what is important in life.”
Trading places
Singer Leonie Casanova gives up her day job to pursue her dream
Singer songwriter Leonie Casanova has abandoned her career at a Hedge Fund firm to pursue her
dream and concentrate on her music full time; a brave move for anyone especially in the current
financial climate.
Leonie Casanova is of Zambian – Italian background and has worked on Wall Street and most
recently, for a London based investment firm. Though music has always been a passion that she
nurtured, gradually during her years at the Hedge Fund, it became clear to her that the nature of
her doublebarrelled life was threatening the amount of time and effort she was able to dedicate to
her music.
In the midst of the credit crunch she has found the courage to abandon her full time wage for the
31
career she has craved for.
‘The financial climate made me stop and think. While we hear mostly of economic gloom and
that we are where we are partly due to excessive risk taking, I realized the situation is also an
opportunity for a different and personally exciting kind of risk. So I decided to throw caution to
the wind and pursue my musical career full time. It is scary but very liberating to know that each
day, my sole focus is to work towards my album.’ - Leonie Casanova Leonie Casanova is enjoying
an incredible start to her music career with the inclusion of her self-penned songs in two films by
award-winning British director Shamim Sarif. Debut single ‘Broken’, was written specifically for
‘The World Unseen’ www.theworldunseenmovie.com – a film that has picked up twenty awards
including eleven SAFTAs (South African BAFTAs) and which premiered in London last month.
Follow up single ‘Little Feeling’ features in Sarif’s acclaimed debut film ‘I Can’t Think Straight’
www.icantthinkstraightfilm.com, which recently screened in London at the National Film Theatre
having already won several awards.
Having already performed at Cannes and Toronto film festivals and at the US premier of ‘The World
Unseen’ Leonie, who has a cameo appearance in the film, will be playing an acoustic set at the
charity screening of ‘The World Unseen’ at BAFTA on 5th May, in support of the Nelson Mandela
Children’s Fund.
in the press - I can’t think straight
I Can’t Think Straight on an international festival awards spree
London – May 8th, 2009 - I CAN’T THINK STRAIGHT scooped the coveted Audience Award at the
Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival at the weekend, the second year in a row that writer/director
Shamim Sarif has won the award, which was given to THE WORLD UNSEEN last year.
The award is the latest in a growing number for I CAN’T THINK STRAIGHT, including the Audience
Award at the Melbourne Queer Festival, Best Feature at Gran Canarias and the After Ellen Best
Feature award.
I CAN’T THINK STRAIGHT is a London-based romantic comedy with a twist, following the unlikely
love affair between Palestinian Tala and British Indian Leyla. Written and directed by awardwinning director Shamim Sarif, the movie is an Enlightenment Productions film, produced by
Hanan Kattan, and the second release for the company within a year.
Like Sarif’s THE WORLD UNSEEN, a period love drama set during apartheid, which has garnered
20 international awards, I CAN’T THINK STRAIGHT has proven to be a force to be reckoned with.
Both of Enlightenment’s films have already had successful theatrical releases in North America and
the UK, with much of Europe to follow this summer.
Recent reviews from International Press include:
‘Sensual, witty and elegant… In exploring the eternal conflict between love and duty in a fresh,
provocative way, Sarif demonstrates that she is a filmmaker of exceptional promise.’ Kevin Thomas,
LA Times
[Ray and Sheth] have terrific chemistry, and an easy grace that translates beautifully to the
screen… the film is brimming with life, energy and color.’ Afterellen.com
‘Sarif’s second time around proves an even greater delight..with effortlessly rich performances... a
delish comedic dish.’ Next Magazine
32
I Can’t Think Straight is blazing a trail of award wins
The film has just won the Audience Award Best Feature at the Pink Apple Zurich Film Festival
I CAN’T THINK STRAIGHT keeps racking up film awards with the most recent win coming at the
Pink Apple Zurich Film Festival last week. This award follows closely on the heels of the Audience
Award Best Feature received at the Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival.
The award is the latest in a growing number for I CAN’T THINK STRAIGHT and writer/director
Shamim Sarif, including the Audience Award at the Melbourne Queer Festival, Best Feature at Gran
Canarias and the After Ellen Best Feature award.
I CAN’T THINK STRAIGHT is a London-based romantic comedy with a twist, following the unlikely
love affair between Palestinian Tala and British Indian Leyla. Written and directed by awardwinning director Shamim Sarif, the movie is an Enlightenment Productions film, produced by
Hanan Kattan, and the second release for the company within a year.
Like Sarif’s THE WORLD UNSEEN, a period love drama set during apartheid, which has garnered
20 international awards, I CAN’T THINK STRAIGHT has proven to be a force to be reckoned with.
Both of Enlightenment’s films have already had successful theatrical releases in North America and
the UK, with much of Europe to follow this summer.
Recent reviews from International Press include:
‘Sensual, witty and elegant… In exploring the eternal conflict between love and duty in a fresh,
provocative way, Sarif demonstrates that she is a filmmaker of exceptional promise.’ Kevin Thomas,
LA Times
[Ray and Sheth] have terrific chemistry, and an easy grace that translates beautifully to the
screen… the film is brimming with life, energy and color.’ Afterellen.com
Rights to award-winning films “I Can’t Think Straight” and “The World Unseen” acquired by
optimale
We are pleased to announce that Optimale, based in France, has acquired distribution rights to “I
Can’t Think Straight” and “The World Unseen” for France and French-speaking regions. Both films
are from award-winning director and novelist Shamim Sarif and have had successful theatrical
debuts in North America.
“The World Unseen” has garnered 20 international film awards to date including the Silver Medal
at the Verzaubert Film Festival and shows no signs of stopping. The film is set in 1950’s South
Africa at the beginning of apartheid; where free-spirited Amina (Sheetal Sheth) has broken all
the rules of her own conventional Indian community and the new apartheid-led government, by
running a café with Jacob, her black business partner. When she meets Miriam (Lisa Ray), a young
wife and mother, their unexpected attraction pushes Miriam to question the rules that bind her to
a traditional role. As Amina helps Miriam’s sister-in-law to hide from the police, a chain of events is
set in motion that changes both women forever.
‘The World Unseen is a small film that packs quite a punch. It covers the personal and the political,
but is never heavy-handed…A film fest favourite (and prize winner), The World Unseen is engaging
and intelligent.’ Toronto Sun ‘Sarif brings more than a dozen interconnected characters to life…and
is a deft enough storyteller to give “The World Unseen” an open ending that seems just right.’ LA
Times
Moving between the vast enclaves of Middle Eastern high society and the stunning backdrop of
33
London’s West End, “I Can’t Think Straight” explores the clashes between East and West, love and
marriage, conventions and individuality, creating a humorous and tender story of unexpected love
and unusual freedoms between Tala and Leyla, two very different yet captivating women.
“I Can’t Think Straight” has played at film festivals across the globe and has garnered several
awards including the Audience Award, a recent win, at the Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival,
the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, the Best Theatrical Release at the After Ellen 2008 Visibility
Awards, Best Feature and Official Selection at the Palm Springs International Film Festival.
The international cast is headed up by award-winning Canadian actress Lisa Ray as Tala. Her
performance in the Academy Award-nominated film “Water” earned her the Best Actress Award
from the Vancouver Film Critics Circle. Other cast members include Sheetal Sheth ( “The World
Unseen” and “Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World”) and Nina Wadia (“Eastenders” and
“Namaste London”).
‘Sensual, witty and elegant… In exploring the eternal conflict between love and duty in a fresh,
provocative way, Sarif demonstrates that she is a filmmaker of exceptional promise.’ Kevin
Thomas, LA Times ‘Ray and Sheth are as appealing romantically as they are visually.’ LA Weekly
‘Sarif’s second time around proves an even greater delight..with effortlessly rich performances. A
dynamite supporting cast..add spice to a delish comedic dish.’ Next Magazine
Written, directed, financed and produced entirely by women, both motion pictures are
Enlightenment Productions films. Producer Hanan Kattan teamed up with Executive Producer Lisa
Tchenguiz, associate producer Daisy Allsop and director Shamim Sarif, who received the World
Cinema Best Director prize at the Phoenix Film Festival and has recently been named Woman of
the Year at the After Ellen 2008 Visibility Awards.
Thierry Willems of Optimale negotiated the deal with Hanan Kattan of Enlightenment Films, the
movie’s sales agent.
Home entertainment acquires rights to award-winning Films “I Can’t Think Straight” and “The
World Unseen”
We are pleased to announce that Home Entertainment has acquired theatrical and other
distribution rights to “I Can’t Think Straight” and “The World Unseen” for the Benelux markets.
Both films are from award-winning director and novelist Shamim Sarif and have had successful
theatrical debuts in North America.
“The World Unseen” has garnered 20 international film awards to date including several Best
Feature awards and two Best Director nods and shows no signs of stopping. The film is set in
1950’s South Africa at the beginning of apartheid, where free-spirited Amina (Sheetal Sheth)
has broken all the rules of her own conventional Indian community and the new apartheid-led
government, by running a café with Jacob, her black business partner. When she meets Miriam
(Lisa Ray), a young wife and mother, their unexpected attraction pushes Miriam to question the
rules that bind her to a traditional role. As Amina helps Miriam’s sister-in-law to hide from the
police, a chain of events is set in motion that changes both women forever.
‘The World Unseen is a small film that packs quite a punch. It covers the personal and the political,
but is never heavy-handed…A film fest favourite (and prize winner), The World Unseen is engaging
and intelligent.’ Toronto Sun
‘Sarif brings more than a dozen interconnected characters to life…and is a deft enough storyteller
to give “The World Unseen” an open ending that seems just right.’ LA Times
34
Moving between the vast enclaves of Middle Eastern high society and the stunning backdrop of
London’s West End, “I Can’t Think Straight” explores the clashes between East and West, love and
marriage, conventions and individuality, creating a humorous and tender story of unexpected love
and unusual freedoms between Tala and Leyla, two very different yet captivating women.
“I Can’t Think Straight” has garnered several awards including recent wins of the Audience Awards
at the Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival and the Melbourne Queer Film Festival. This follows on
from the Best Theatrical Release at the After Ellen 2008 Visibility Awards, and Official Selection at
the Palm Springs International Film Festival.
The international cast is headed up by award-winning Canadian actress Lisa Ray as Tala. Her
performance in the Academy Award-nominated film “Water” earned her the Best Actress Award
from the Vancouver Film Critics Circle. Other cast members include Sheetal Sheth ( “The World
Unseen” and “Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World”) and Nina Wadia (“Eastenders” and
“Namaste London”).
‘Sensual, witty and elegant… In exploring the eternal conflict between love and duty in a fresh,
provocative way, Sarif demonstrates that she is a filmmaker of exceptional promise.’ Kevin Thomas,
LA Times
‘Ray and Sheth are as appealing romantically as they are visually.’ LA Weekly
‘Sarif’s second time around proves an even greater delight..with effortlessly rich performances. A
dynamite supporting cast..add spice to a delish comedic dish.’ Next Magazine
Written, directed, financed and produced entirely by women, both motion pictures are
Enlightenment Productions films. Producer Hanan Kattan teamed up with Executive Producer Lisa
Tchenguiz-Imerman, associate producer Daisy Allsop and director Shamim Sarif, who received
the World Cinema Best Director prize at the Phoenix Film Festival and has recently been named
Woman of the Year at the After Ellen 2008 Visibility Awards.
Luc Freyer of Home Entertainment negotiated the deal with Hanan Kattan of Enlightenment Films,
the movie’s Sales agent.
Four women, many skills – one powerful team
Multi-faceted creative and producing partnership achieves international film success When a film
that at its heart is about the unique relationship between women it is perhaps unsurprising that
it is written, directed, financed and produced by a team of passionate, strong and accomplished
women.
The World Unseen is the award-winning motion picture directed by Shamim Sarif from a
screenplay adapted by her from her acclaimed novel, produced by her personal and professional
partner Hanan Kattan, and executively produced by the couple’s longtime friends Katherine
Priestley and Lisa Tchenguiz.
To date, The World Unseen has garnered 20 awards internationally.
Each of these independently successful women has brought something unique to the production
through their individual skills, as well as coming from vastly different backgrounds. “I think we are
all entrepreneurs with a wealth of different experiences and between us pretty much cover the
spectrum of movie making. Collectively we feel we have unlimited resources of belief, enthusiasm
and determination and these qualities are probably the dominating factors in independent movie
making,” says Priestley.
Sarif - British, brought up Muslim and of Indian/South African heritage – is the
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creative drive and author of the critically acclaimed novel which she transformed into the
screenplay for The World Unseen, before going on to direct the film.
Partner Kattan, who was brought up Christian of Palestinian descent, created Enlightenment
Productions in partnership with Sarif to solidify the intense creative partnership between the two.
The company is dedicated to producing entertaining, low to medium budget features that have
integrity and individuality.
As co-founder of the alternative asset investment firm Lincoln Vale based in London and Boston,
as well as being CFO and on the board of directors of various companies, British-born Katherine
Priestley’s business acumen and financial skills are unrivalled. Her background is international and
cosmopolitan, having been educated in the US and lived all over the world, including Japan.
An active investor in her own right, Iraqi Jewish Lisa Tchenguiz’s focus as executive producer for
The World Unseen was sales and marketing to which she brings a unique flair. She has served in
the same capacity on a second Enlightenment Productions film, I Can’t Think Straight, also directed
by Sarif from her third novel. This film is also a multi award-winner, and was the official selection at
the Palm Springs International Film Festival.
Although it is wholly appropriate that The World Unseen has this powerful feminine backbone, it
wasn’t a conscious decision. “It just happened that the women who were in our lives and very dear
to us were as passionate about the many deep layers in the novel and the film as we were,” says
Kattan.
“I loved having such a strong group of women making this film,” says Tchenguiz. “A lot of my life
has been defined by men – strong brothers and a father who was very much the head of our family
– and The World Unseen’s themes and the way it was brought together seem to acknowledge that
the ability and strength of women are often underestimated but very real.”
The couple has set up the Sarif Kattan Foundation to assist a variety of children charities with a
focus on education and health. The World Unseen was recently shown at a black tie gala charity
screening in aid of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund, an organisation that is close to all four
women’s hearts. “The NMC Fund is very important to us at many levels,” explains Kattan. As The
World Unseen is a South African story with such universal themes of respect and integrity, we
felt that it would be an honour to try to help out in any way we can.” The charity event was an
opportunity to thank the country of South Africa for hosting the making of our film and to give
something back. We hope to do more with them in the future, adds Priestley.
International award-winning sensation, I Can’t Think Straight, to debut in san francisco at
frameline 33 film Festival
I Can’t Think Straight keeps racking up film awards with the most recent wins coming at the
Festival del Mar de Mallorca for Jury Winner Best Feature Film and the Audience Award for Best
Feature Film at the Fairy Tales International Queer Diversity Film Festival (Calgary).
The award is the latest in a growing number for I CAN’T THINK STRAIGHT and writer/director
Shamim Sarif, including Audience Awards for Best Feature at the Pink Apple Zurich Film Festival,
Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, the Melbourne Queer Film Festival as well as Best Feature at
Gran Canarias and the After Ellen Best Feature Award.
I CAN’T THINK STRAIGHT is a London-based romantic comedy with a twist, following the unlikely
love affair between Palestinian Tala and British Indian Leyla. Written and directed by awardwinning director Shamim Sarif, the movie is an Enlightenment Productions film, produced by
Hanan Kattan, and the second release for the company within a year.
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I CAN’T THINK STRAIGHT will show at San Francisco’s historic movie palace, the Castro during the
world-renowned Frameline 33 Film Festival, San Francisco’s International LGBT Film Festival, on
Monday, June 22nd, 2009 at 9:30pm. A book signing with writer/director Shamim Sarif will take
place before the film at A Different Light at 7:30pm on Monday, June 22nd, 2009.
Like Sarif’s THE WORLD UNSEEN, a period love drama set during apartheid, which has garnered
20 international awards, I CAN’T THINK STRAIGHT has proven to be a force to be reckoned with.
Both of Enlightenment’s films have already had successful theatrical releases in North America and
the UK, with much of Europe to follow this summer.
Please note that “In The Press” information was accurate at the time of publication of the relevant articles
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Contact Information
Producer:
Enlightenment Productions
London Office:
Hanan Kattan – Producer Shamim Sarif – Director [email protected]
[email protected]
Enlightenment Productions Ltd
Address: 9 Princetown Mews, 167-169
London Road Kingston SY KT2 5PT
Tel: +44 (0)208 546 8819
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.enlightenment-productions.com
World Sales by:
Enlightenment Films
Address: 9 Princetown Mews, 167-169
London Road Kingston SY KT2 5PT
Tel: +44 (0)208 546 8819
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.enlightenment-productions.com
Online:
www.theworldunseenfilm.com (Official website)
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shamim-Sarif/67470360408?ref=ts
(Shamim Facebook page)
www.imdb.com/title/tt0830570 (Internet Movie Database)
www.myspace.com/icantthinkstraightep (My Space)
www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=35006965883 (Facebook)
www.youtube.com/user/EnlightenmentProds (You Tube)
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