THE SHEIK AND I
The Sheik and I
Caveh Zahedi, 2012
Catalog No.: FTF-037
Length: 104 minutes
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. 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. He turns his camera on the Biennial itself and gleefully presses every culturally sensitive button he can find. But his court jester antics fails to amuse. Zahedi's film is banned for blasphemy and he is threatened with a fatwa.
Directed and Produced by Caveh Zahedi
Festivals: SXSW, Dokufest, Sydney Underground Film Festival, Sheffield Doc/Fest, San Francisco Internatioinal Film Festival, Boston Independent Film Festival, Revelation Perth International Film Festival, Warsaw Film Festival, and Bergen International Film Festival
PURCHASE
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PRESS
"Undeniably hilarious. “The Sheik and I” argues vociferously that it’s always better to offend than to bore."
-Jeannette Catsoulis, The New York Times
"Part Borat...Part Albert Brooks...Hilarious and not exactly innoffensive"
-Bilge Ebiri, New York Magazine, Critics Pick
"Preposterous and profound."
-Steve Dollar, The Wall Street Journal
"Incendiary."
-Peter Debruge, Variety
"Funny and visually inventive."
-Sherilyn Connolly, The Village Voice
"Hilarious."
-Anne S. Lewis, Austin Chronicle
"Flagrantly subversive."
-Dan Schoenbrun, Filmmaker Magazine
"Madcap meta-narrative"
-Randy Kennedy, New York Times
"It's a daring work made with reckless abandon -- in other words, both irresponsible and necessary."
-Eric Kohn, Indiewire
"Worth seeing for the bigger conversations it's likely to spark."
-William Goss, Orlando Weekly