Ajyal Film Festival 2024

Doha Tribecca Film Festival 2012

All Doha Tribecca Film Festival 2012 Films

Valentino's Ghost (Valentino's Ghost: The Politics Behind Images of Arabs & Muslims in the Media)

Contemporary World Cinema - Doha Tribecca Film Festival 2012

Michael Singh / Feature Documentary / United States of America / 2012 / 95 min / Colour and B&W / DCP / In English / Arabic subtitles / MENA Premiere
Rated: Parental guidance advised for viewers under the age of 15. Individuals under the age of 15 are not admitted into cinemas unless accompanied by an individual aged 18 or over.

Synopsis

In the 1920s, the mysterious exoticism of the figure of the Arab sheikh made Rudolph Valentino one of the hugest celebrities the world has ever known. Today, American mass media portrayals of Arabs and Muslims often paint them as perpetrators of mindless violence, bent on the destruction of America and its way of life. Why? How did this change come about? Through interviews with historians and media experts, this refreshingly courageous documentary provides a crucial look at the historical, political and social context in which dangerously simplistic representations of Arabs, Muslims and Islam arose. Further, it suggests those representations make understanding Islam essentially impossible for American viewers. ‘Valentino’s Ghost’ has inspired much discussion since its premiere at the Venice Film Festival; lively dialogue is sure to follow its first appearance in the Middle East.

Official Film Website

About the Director

Born and brought up in India of Dutch, German and Sikh heritage, Michael Singh majored in film production at the University of Southern California. He worked as a writer and producer for US television and wrote and associate produced ‘Mahalia Jackson: The Power and the Glory’ (1997). He has directed two documentary shorts: ‘The Prisoner’s Song’ (2008) and ‘Rebel Queen’ (2009).

Credits

Director
Michael Singh
Screenwriter
Michael Singh
Producer
Catherine Jordan
Editor
Brad Fuller, Michael Singh, Catherine Jordan, James Knight
Music
Lisa Coleman
Cinematographer
Mark Shepherd, Barry Conrad, Darren Rydstrom, Joseph Hudson
Other
Narrator: Mike Farrell
Cast
Maz Jobrani, Robert Fisk, John Mearsheimer, Tony Shalhoub, Anthony Shadid, Gore Vidal

Contacts

  • Press Contact

    Michael Singh

    Company: 
    Michael Singh Productions, Inc
    Phone: 
    323 466 5000

  • Sales Contact

    Catherine Le Clef

    Company: 
    Cat and Docs
    Phone: 
    +33 183 970 546

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