The film is ultimately more concerned with caveh zahedi s attempts to pursue a variety of dull passing fancies than with any larger agenda. For three days he and screenwriter arnold barkus met with assorted financiers. He has appeared and acted in in the bathtub of the world 2001, waking. When zahedi accepted the gig, the curators gave him three guidelines he was required to follow. Commissioned by a middle eastern biennial to make a film on the theme of art as a subversive act, independent filmmaker caveh zahedi i. Jeannette catsoulis, watch the sheik and i online vimeo on demand on vimeo. Caveh zahedi s abject, selfdefeating, ethically questionable, maddeningly original approach to documentary. A movie about trying to make a movie, the sheik and i finds the selfreferential director caveh zahedi waving the freedomofspeech flag in a major. He is currently in production on the second season of the show about the show, a bric tv series in which every episode is about the making of the previous episode. The sky is blue like an orange, about the artist joseph cornell. Well yes, but theres a question mark that hangs over the situation, because theres a dictator in sharjah who can do whatever he wants, and there are islamic fanatics who just kill people when they dont like them. December 10, 20 i receive an email informing us that our project about the artist joseph cornells. The sheik and i isnt a terrible movie, but its also not a great one. Caveh zahedi is bringing his latest film the sheik and i to this years south by southwest film festival.
After watching it, i now believe caveh zahedi is more of a youtuber, before youtube was invented, than what i define as a classic filmmaker, like a quentin tarantino, jeanluc godard, steven soderbergh, or even, dare i say this, the duplass brothers. His featurelength films include a little stiff 1991, i dont hate las vegas anymore 1994, in the bathtub of the world 2001, i am a sex addict 2006, and the sheik and i 2012. When caveh zahedi submitted his controversial film work the sheik and i to the montclair film festival in 2012 he did not expect the reaction by the festivals chief programmer, thom powers. Factory 25 has acquired world rights for caveh zahedi s incendiary documentary the sheik and i, the brooklynbased indie label announced tuesday. The sheik and i, directed by caveh zahedi the new york times. In the sheik and i director caveh zahedi once again turns the camera on himself, this time as he chronicles his attempts to create and exhibit a film commissioned by the sheik. The standard shooter tasks players with dodging enemy fire and collecting powerups while unleashing a steady torrent of bullets at ones foes. Watch the sheik and i online vimeo on demand on vimeo.
Cavehs latest film the sheik and i, is a featurelength version of a shorter film. Filmmaker caveh zahedi attended the 2014 international film. The films of caveh zahedi now available from factory 25 101014101114 how to build a box. With caveh zahedi, beckett zahedi, michael patten, zuzu snyder. We meet with a potential coproducer from nottingham and crack robin hood jokes. After watching the film, powers not only went on a campaign to block the film from showing at montclair but also contacted journalists and other festivals, warning them against writing about it or screening it. He is a director and writer, known for i am a sex addict 2005, underground zero 2002 and a little stiff 1991. Caveh zahedi was born on april 29, 1960 in washington, district of columbia, usa as robert caveh zahedi. Caveh zahedi born on april 29, 1960 is an american film director and actor of iranian descent. Caveh zahedi, representing authority, still from the sheik and i 2012. The san francisco international film festival 2012. The map animation sequences are very nicely done as are a few other animations related to travel and zahedi s history. I just thought it wasnt as interesting as caveh s other films.
Caveh zahedi began making films while studying philosophy at yale university. He persuades bric tv, a brooklyn nonprofit arts organization, to finance a television show whose premise is that every episode will be about the making of the previous episode. Caveh zahedi discusses his controversial the sheik. His second feature, i dont hate las vegas anymore, was a deeply personal documentary road movie in which he gave his elderly father who may have had a heart condition and his teenage half brother ecstasy, and then filmed their trip. Autobiographical comedy about a recovering sex addict, about his obsession with prostitutes, and how that affected his relationships and his life altogether.
When an american filmmaker is commissioned to make a film for a. In the documentary the sheik and i, the director caveh zahedi waves the freedomofspeech flag in a major arab emirate. The sheikh and caveh zahedi the new school free press. Zahedi has also appeared in several films in acting roles, including alexander paynes citizen ruth, greg watkins a sign from god, richard linklaters waking life, and registered sex offender. Told that he can do whatever he wants except make fun of the sheik, who rules the country and finances the biennial, zahedi decides to do just that. Caveh zahedi may be an acquired taste but when he hits his mark he is one of the best in his genre. Created by filmmakerprovocateur caveh zahedi the sheik and i and named one of the top tv shows of 2015 by indiewire, this selfreferential series centers on a brooklyn filmmaker zahedi trying to make a tv show. Commissioned by a middle eastern biennial to make a film on the theme of art as a subversive act, independent filmmaker caveh zahedi goes overboard. Director caveh zahedi s documentary the sheik and i will provoke strong. Told that he can do whatever he wants except make fun of the sheik who rules the country and finances the biennial, zahedi decides to do just that, turning his camera on the biennial itself. Filmmaker caveh zahedi attended the 2014 international film festival rotterdam cinemart with a film seeking financing.
Caveh zahedi studied philosophy at yale university and film production at the ucla school of film and television. Doctor visit part 1 chin to english sii khan kal tik ah hmanbik mi biafang le biatlang duration. The sheik and i argues vociferously that its always better to offend than to bore. Commissioned by a middle eastern biennial to make a film on the theme of art as a subversive act, independent filmmaker caveh zahedi i am a sex addict goes overboard. The film is a personal documentaryfiction hybrid, says zahedi. Slant spoke with zahedi about the dual challenges of serving his subject and his audience. Caveh zahedi is a significant part of a genre of art that mixes self confessional, documentary and quasifiction or reality inspired narrative storytelling. Wearing its lowbudget styling on its sleeve its a curious and enormously likeable mix of autobiography, laugh out loud black comedy and oddball love story. Caveh zahedi the sheik and i opens friday, clinton street theater. Caveh zahedi the sheik and i talks meeting robert bresson. Five years ago, at south by southwest, caveh zahedi presented the world premiere of the sheik and i, a film about a film.
After graduation, caveh moved to paris to try to raise money for a film about the french poet arthur rimbaud, but failed to raise even one centime. Filmmaker caveh zahedi, maker of you have to live somewhere, the sheik and i, dimitri in the mud with turquoise, letters to bill, letters to. Theres just something uninspired about the sheik and i, something tired and forced. Caveh has courted controversy with his films, often pushing the envelope of what is ethically acceptable in a film. The life and art of joseph cornell at the new school 1221 keyframe publishes caveh s. His featurelength films include the sheik and i 2012, i am a sex addict 2005, in the bathtub of the world. The sheik and i inviting criticism from all corners, caveh zahedi tests the limits on freedom of expression in the middle east with incendiary and arguably irresponsible results in the sheik and. I am a sex addict 2005, tripping with caveh 2004, the world is a classroom 2002, in the bathtub of the world 2001, i was possessed by god 1999, i dont hate las vegas anymore 1995, and a little stiff 1991. Caveh zahedi celebrity profile check out the latest caveh zahedi photo gallery, biography, pics, pictures, interviews, news, forums and blogs at rotten tomatoes. The sheik and i, a diary film about zahedi s messy experience working on commission in the united arab emirates, still contains a mischievous edge.
Featuring the same tiresomely endless selfreferential aspects as his last directorial effort, 2005s i am a sex addict, the sheik and i once again puts filmmaker caveh zahedi front and center. Watch i am a sex addict online vimeo on demand on vimeo. Caveh zahedi is an autobiographical filmmaker whose body of work attempts to tell the story of his life as it unfolds. When an american filmmaker is commissioned to make a film for a middle east biennial on the theme of art as a subversive act, his film is banned for blasphemy, he is asked to destroy every copy, and he is threatened with arrest. Factory 25 to release caveh zahedi s controversial doc. Caveh zahedi s films include waking life, worm, citizen ruth, the sheik and i. The sheik and i, directed by caveh zahedi the new york. With caveh zahedi, christoff colas, rebecca lord, lindsey tjian. Commissioned by a middle eastern biennial to make a film on the theme of art as a subversive act, independent filmmaker caveh zahedi i am a. Told that he can do whatever he wants except make fun of the sheik, who rules the country and finances the biennial, zahedi decides to do just that, turning his camera on the biennial itself. Zahedi s film is banned for blasphemy and he is threatened with arrest and a fatwa. The fact that i am a sex addict won the gotham award in 2005 for best film not playing at a theater near you should be a useful gauge for those considering this movie as a rental or purchase. View full size filmmmaker caveh zahedi gets in trouble in united arab emirates for making fun of its sheik in the sheik and i. Independent filmmaker caveh zahedi is trying to make a television show.
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