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Co-presented by the Arab American National Museum
Filmmaker Sherief Elkatsha follows 12 African musicians from seven countries along the Nile River as they band together in an international coalition to highlight the water conflict along the river they share. As they leave their homes in Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Sudan, Kenya, Burundi, and Uganda and embark on a 100-day tour of America’s heartland, the film captures the challenges of collaboration across cultural lines. Despite their vast cultural differences, musical styles, and competing egos, the artists must find ways to create and remain united in their cause.
Festivals & Awards: 44th Cairo International Film Festival - Winner Best Non-Fiction Film, 12th Luxor African Film Festival - Winner Silver Award Long Film, Doctors Without Borders International Film Festival - Winner Exceptional Merit
About the filmmaker:
Documentary filmmaker, producer, and editor Sherief Elkatsha’s most recent film, Far From the Nile, is a feature-length film following 12 musicians from different countries along the Nile River basin, on their U.S. tour. The film premiered in November 2022 at the 44th Cairo International Film Festival, where it won “Best Non-Fiction Film.” In February 2023, Far From the Nile was also awarded the Silver Prize at the Luxor African Film Festival and received an “Exceptional Merit” Award at Docs Without Borders International Film Festival. In 2013, Elkatsha premiered his third feature documentary, Cairo Drive, awarded “The Best Film from the Arab World”/Documentary Competition, at the Abu Dhabi Film Festival 2013. Other honors include the Grand Jury Prize at DOC NYC 2014 and special mention at Open City Docs in London 2014. In 2014, Elkatsha was commissioned by the EYE Film Institut Nederland to make a short film combining stock and his own footage, which resulted in Krokodillen. He was also the cinematographer for Cairo Garbage (2009), by Mikala Krogh, part of Cities on Speed. Elkatsha co–directed Egypt: We are Watching You (2007), about pre-revolutionary politics in Egypt, through eyes of the activist group, Shayfeen.com, as part of the Why
Democracy series. His first feature documentary, Butts Out (2004), which followed five smokers’ struggles to quit cigarettes, received the Best Documentary Award at the 2006 New England Film and Video Festival. The film was also an official selection at The Rhode Island International Film Festival, Rendez Vous with Madness Film Festival, and the Hollywood DV Festival.
- Year2022
- Runtime98 minutes
- LanguageAmharic, Arabic, English, Swahili
- CountryUnited States, Egypt, Sudan
- Subtitle LanguageEnglish
- Content WarningTabacco use
- DirectorSherief Elkatsha
- ProducerChristopher McElroen, Sherief Elkatsha
- CastMohamed Abozekry, Michael Bazibu, Nader Elshaer, Ibrahim Fanous, Saleeb Fawzy, Asia Madani, Adel Mekha, Kasiva Mutua, Ahmed Omar, Dave Otieno, Steven Sogo, Selamnesh Zemene
Co-presented by the Arab American National Museum
Filmmaker Sherief Elkatsha follows 12 African musicians from seven countries along the Nile River as they band together in an international coalition to highlight the water conflict along the river they share. As they leave their homes in Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Sudan, Kenya, Burundi, and Uganda and embark on a 100-day tour of America’s heartland, the film captures the challenges of collaboration across cultural lines. Despite their vast cultural differences, musical styles, and competing egos, the artists must find ways to create and remain united in their cause.
Festivals & Awards: 44th Cairo International Film Festival - Winner Best Non-Fiction Film, 12th Luxor African Film Festival - Winner Silver Award Long Film, Doctors Without Borders International Film Festival - Winner Exceptional Merit
About the filmmaker:
Documentary filmmaker, producer, and editor Sherief Elkatsha’s most recent film, Far From the Nile, is a feature-length film following 12 musicians from different countries along the Nile River basin, on their U.S. tour. The film premiered in November 2022 at the 44th Cairo International Film Festival, where it won “Best Non-Fiction Film.” In February 2023, Far From the Nile was also awarded the Silver Prize at the Luxor African Film Festival and received an “Exceptional Merit” Award at Docs Without Borders International Film Festival. In 2013, Elkatsha premiered his third feature documentary, Cairo Drive, awarded “The Best Film from the Arab World”/Documentary Competition, at the Abu Dhabi Film Festival 2013. Other honors include the Grand Jury Prize at DOC NYC 2014 and special mention at Open City Docs in London 2014. In 2014, Elkatsha was commissioned by the EYE Film Institut Nederland to make a short film combining stock and his own footage, which resulted in Krokodillen. He was also the cinematographer for Cairo Garbage (2009), by Mikala Krogh, part of Cities on Speed. Elkatsha co–directed Egypt: We are Watching You (2007), about pre-revolutionary politics in Egypt, through eyes of the activist group, Shayfeen.com, as part of the Why
Democracy series. His first feature documentary, Butts Out (2004), which followed five smokers’ struggles to quit cigarettes, received the Best Documentary Award at the 2006 New England Film and Video Festival. The film was also an official selection at The Rhode Island International Film Festival, Rendez Vous with Madness Film Festival, and the Hollywood DV Festival.
- Year2022
- Runtime98 minutes
- LanguageAmharic, Arabic, English, Swahili
- CountryUnited States, Egypt, Sudan
- Subtitle LanguageEnglish
- Content WarningTabacco use
- DirectorSherief Elkatsha
- ProducerChristopher McElroen, Sherief Elkatsha
- CastMohamed Abozekry, Michael Bazibu, Nader Elshaer, Ibrahim Fanous, Saleeb Fawzy, Asia Madani, Adel Mekha, Kasiva Mutua, Ahmed Omar, Dave Otieno, Steven Sogo, Selamnesh Zemene