Project of the Day: ‘Return to Timbuktu’
Here’s your daily dose of an indie film in progress; at the end of the week, you’ll have the chance to vote for your favorite.
In the meantime: Is this a movie you’d want to see? Tell us in the comments.
Tweetable Logline:
One man’s mission to reunite Mali through the power of music.
Elevator Pitch:
“The armed militants sent death threats to local musicians; many were
forced into exile. Live music venues were shut down, and militants set
fire to guitars and drumkits.” New York Times
And just like that, the very birth place of modern rhythm and blues
suddenly became silent. Manny Ansar, director of the world-famous Music
Festival in the Desert, narrowly escaped Timbuktu. Nearly one million
Malians remain displaced. So Manny decided to lead a procession of
traveling musicians from refugee camps back to their homes in Timbuktu,
for a concert that will mark the beginning of a new era in Mali.
Production Team:
Director: Michael Meredith (Three Days of Rain, Land of Plenty, The Open Road)
Producer: Alex Gibney (Taxi to the Dark Side, Enron: The Smartest Guys
in the Room, We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks, The Armstrong
Lie)
Executive Producer: Wim Wenders (Wings of Desire, Paris, Texas, Pina, Buena Vista Social Club)
Production Team: Amit Nizan, Stacey Offman, Jennie Amias, Blair Foster, Phil Buccellato
Director of Photography: Troy Word
Editor: Jeff Ertz
About the Production: Michael Meredith: I first met Manny Ansar after he fled Timbuktu. His
country was in turmoil, his life was in danger… Needless to say I
expected a downtrodden man, but instead I found a visionary. To Manny,
music is the lifeblood of Mali. It is the soul of the land and the air
that his countrymen breathe. Their courage and love of country was
awe-inspiring.
Fully aware of the risks, Manny agreed to let me film his journey to
turn the tides and resolve conflict by harnessing the power of music and
restoring the will of his people.
Current Status: We’re fundraising & in production (30% completed.) The remainder of
the filming will take place in August and September 2014.
For more information and to support this project: Indiegogo Page
