"So You Think You Can Dance with a backdrop of semi-automatic rifles."
-The Montreal Gazette
"A moving portrait of the power of art and cross-cultural exchange."
-The Monterey County Herald
ABOUT THE FILM:
CAMP UNITY is a controversial, award-winning documentary about Iraqi students uniting through hip hop, jazz, orchestra, and Broadway at an American arts academy in Iraqi Kurdistan. Arabs and Kurds, Christians and Muslims, Americans and Iraqis from distinct cultures combine forces to put on Gala shows in local communities. Taking the viewer on an entertaining journey as cultures collide, egos clash, and dreams come true, the film presents a "warts and all" vision of this life-changing event. Shot on location in Iraq, CAMP UNITY offers a unique opportunity to look beyond the violent and sensational images of Iraq, commonly used by international medias, to see beauty emerge from chaos...
CAMP UNITY is a U.S.-Iraqi Kurdistan co-production, shot in High Definition (HD) video in English, Arabic, and Kurdish with English subtitles and runs 83 minutes.
Director/cinematographer/editor
Ryan White
Producers
Ryan White & John Ferguson
Co-Producer
Paul Lee
Executive Producers
Joanne Storkan, Madeline DiMaggio &
Brendan Maze
Assistant Director & Production Manager
Yohan Othman Hama
Music by
Fu'ad Mawlanaee, Erjeng Seyfizade & Matthias Naderi
LATEST NEWS:
On April 26, 2012, CAMP UNITY will have its South Carolina Premiere as an Official Selection of the Greenville International Film Festival. The documentary screens at 8pm on Thursday, April 26 at the Upcountry History Museum in Greenville, SC.
CAMP UNITY had its Wisconsin Premiere at the 2011 Weyauwega International Film Festival.
CAMP UNITY had its Oregon Premiere as an Official Selection of the 2011 Eugene International Film Festival.
CAMP UNITY was an Official Selection of the 2011 Bayou City Inspirational Film Festival.
CAMP UNITY screened on September 11, 2011 at the Film Fest Twain Harte.
On Saturday, March 12, CAMP UNITY won Best Documentary Feature in the
the 17th San Luis Obispo International Film Festival's Central Coast Filmmaker Showcase
FESTIVALS & AWARDS:
WINNER - CCFS Best Documentary Feature, San Luis Obispo International Film Festioval (2011)
WINNER - Silver Award for Documentary, Philadelphia International Film Festival (2010)
WINNER - Award Of Excellence for Documentary Feature, The Indie Fest (2010)
Official Selection - Montreal World Film Festival (2010)
Official Selection - Anchorage International Film Festival (2010)
Official Selection - Oaxaca International Independent Film Festival (2010)
Official Selection - Carmel Art & Film Festival (2010)
Official Selection - Gig Harbor Film Festival (2010)
Official Selection - DOCUTAH Southern Utah International Documentary Film Festival (2010)
Official Selection - Film Fest Twain Harte (2011)
Official Selection - Bayou City Inspirational Film Festival (2011)
Official Selection - Eugene International Film Festival (2011)
Official Selection - Weyauwega International Film Festival (2011)
Official Selection - Greenville International Film Festival (2012)
- Read the March 6, 2011 article about CAMP UNITY in the Monterey County Herald:
http://www.montereyherald.com/entertainment/ci_17550935?source=rss
- In March 2011, CAMP UNITY screened at the 17th San Luis Obispo International Film Festival. The film was awarded Best Documentary Feature in the Central Coast Filmmaker Showcase.
- In December, CAMP UNITY "headlined" the Family Program of the 2010 Anchorage International Film Festival. As the only feature in the Family Program, the film wrapped up the day-long event at the Anchorage Public Library's Wilda Marston Theatre.
- On November 8, CAMP UNITY had it's Latin American Premiere at the Oaxaca International Independent Film Festival.
- In October, The Tacoma News Tribune named CAMP UNITY one of the 10 films not to be missed at the Gig Harbor Film Festival.
- An extra screening of CAMP UNITY was added to the Carmel Art & Film Festival. Read the press coverage about the film below:
From the front page of the Monterey County Herald (Oct 9, 2010):
http://www.montereyherald.com/news/ci_16296621
From the Herald (Oct 1, 2010):
http://www.montereyherald.com/ci_16225297
From the Monterey County Weekly:
http://www.montereycountyweekly.com/archives/2010/2010-Oct-07/mr-brainwash-leads-a-flood-of-other-edgy-artists-and-directors-to-carmel-art--film-festival/1/@@index
- In September, CAMP UNITY was chosen as an audience favorite at the DOCUTAH festival and an additional screening was held due to popular demand.
- Read the reviews from CAMP UNITY's international premiere at the 34th Montreal World Film Festival:
From Montreal Gazette:
http://www.montrealgazette.com/entertainment/festival-central/Mini+reviews+Many+films+handful+opinions+from+Gazette+critics/3448727/story.html
From Fest21.com:
http://www.fest21.com/blog/montreal_world_film_festival/montreal_film_in_focus_unity_camp
- On September 2 & 3, 2010, CAMP UNITY had it's international premiere at the 34th Montreal World Film Festival, in the "Documentaries of the World" section. For more information about MWFF: www.ffm-montreal.org/en_index.html
- On June 26, 2010, CAMP UNITY won the Silver Award for Documentary at the 33rd Philadelphia International Film Festival (PhilaFilm)...
- In March 2010, CAMP UNITY received an Award of Excellence for Feature Documentary from The Indie Fest.
(Original CAMP UNITY poster by artist Laura Zuspan)
(Official CAMP UNITY one-sheet)