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Our feature film this week! Waterloo, Hamilton, Toronto, St Catharines
Hello everyone! We are excited to present our feature film to you! I hope you can join us for one of these screenings this week and beyond… This film includes amazing interviews and music spanning our two most recent albums, Refuge and Sanctuary. Enjoy!
6x CFMA winning SULTANS OF STRING Honour World Refugee Day with a special Screening Tour of its Cannes World Film Festival winning Doc, “Sultans of String: The Refuge Project – Visual Album”.
The Hamilton, Toronto and St Catharines screenings are at NO COST!
Waterloo
Thurs June 15, 2023 – 6:45pm
Princess Original Cinema, https://www.princesscinemas.com/movie/sultans-of-string-the-refugee-project-visual-album
Hamilton
Fri June 16, 2023 – 7:30pm (cash bar reception from 6:30)
The Westdale, part of Hamilton Arts Week, https://www.thewestdale.ca/event/sultans-of-string-the-refuge-project-visual-album
Toronto
Sat June 17, 2023 – 3:25pm
Luminato Music Weekend, David Pecaut Square, https://luminatofestival.com/event/luminato-music-weekend/2023-06-17/
St. Catharines
Tues June 20, 2023 – 7:00pm
FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre – The Film House – https://www.firstontariopac.ca/
Click below to watch the trailer https://youtu.be/kvVe90RJwb4
Mixed in full Dolby Atmos, this ambitious, diverse, inclusive, and passionately political film puts this world music supergroup face-to-face with a VIP roster of global ‘ambassadors,’ some of whom are recent immigrants and refugees to Canada and the U.S., as well as essential Indigenous voices. All are masters of global music that communicate with each other through the universal language of music.
Addressing the struggles of life on Mother Earth has always inspired this band. In Sultans of String: The Refuge Project – Visual Album, they bring their unique brand of musical synergy and collaboration to bear on discussion and songs that speak to the challenges facing the world’s displaced peoples—their stories, their songs, their persistence and their humanity.
Joined by an international cast, this three-time JUNO nominated band immerses themselves in the plight of the international refugee, and the humanitarian response that should greet everyone in search of a home.
McKhool (whose paternal, Makhoul, grandfather was from Lebanon) explains, “The larger Refuge Project is centred around the positive contributions of refugees and new immigrants to Canada and the United States. We are bringing in special guests that are newcomers to this land, as well as global talents that have been ambassadors for peace. We wish to celebrate the successes of those who make the journey here and bring their extraordinary talents with them, in this case, music. Each one of us has a remarkable story to tell, and we are excited to share the beauty of these collaborations with you.”
The Refuge Project features stellar performances by Ahmed Moneka and Imad Al Taha, refugees from Iraq, Syrian refugee Leen Hamo, Donné Roberts from Madagascar with partner Yukiko Tsutsui from Japan, Algeria’s Fethi Nadjem, Colombian refugee Juan Carlos Medrano, Romani Nyckelharpa player Saskia Tomkins, tabla player Ravi Naimpally from India, sitar player Anwar Khurshid from Pakistan, string ensemble Gundem Yayli Grubu from Istanbul, and many, many more, including an orchestral version of “The Power of the Land” featuring Indigenous performers Duke Redbird and Twin Flames.
“The true inspiration behind these albums and film is the incredible artists we get to collaborate with,” says McKhool. “We learn so much from these diverse voices, and each one of them is so personally inspiring. As Ahmed Moneka, an artist and refugee from Iraq says, ‘Love is the main reason for a great future,” and we are so privileged to be able to collaborate with so many incredible voices on this project.”
The film is receiving industry recognition on the Film Festival circuit including the Cannes World Film Festival, Vancouver Independent Film Festival, Boston Independent Film Awards, LA Independent Film Channel Festival, and the Hollywood International Golden Age Festival.
FILM FESTIVALS:
WON:
Cannes World Film Festival
Best Istanbul Film Festival
Vancouver Independent Film Festival
Lightbox International Film Festival
Boston Independent Film Awards
LA Independent Film Channel Festival
Hollywood International Golden Age Festival
Scarab Short Film Festival
SELECTED:
Paris Movie Festival
California Indies
Montreal Independent Film Festival
8th Music Film Festival
Folk in Film Festival
Canadian Folk Music Awards
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
• 2022 Dr. Duke Redbird Lifetime Achievement Award – JAYU Arts For Human Rights
• 2022 Cannes World Film Festival – Best Musical Film
• 2022 Folk Music Ontario – Song of the Year – Mi Santuario, also nom. for Performer of the Year
• 2022 Canadian Folk Music Awards quadruple nominees – results in April 2023 – Contemporary, Global Roots, Pushing the Boundaries, and Producer of the Year
• 2022 Burlington’s Best Local Musician/Band
• 2021 Canadian Folk Music Awards winner for Producer of the Year with Refuge
• 2021 Canadian Folk Music Awards nominee for Ensemble of the Year with Refuge
• 2021 Canadian Independent Music Association – Pivot Award
• 2021 Markham Performing Arts Awards – Professional Artist of the Year
• 2021 International Songwriting Competition – World Music – Mi Santuario
• 2020 Folk Music Ontario- Songwriting Award – Instrumental – “Refuge”
• 2020 Folk Music Ontario- Songwriting Award – Political – “I Am a Refugee”
• 2020 Independent Music Awards – Instrumental Song of the Year – The Grand Bazaar
• 2020 Independent Music Awards – World Music Producer of the Year – Refuge