Rita Baghdadi's guest appearances

Rita Baghdadi

The Cinematography Podcast

Rough Cut

Faux Reel Podcast 

Top Docs:  Award-Winning Documentary Filmmakers

OwlTail

In this episode, we sit down with director, producer, and cinematographer Rita Baghdadi, who's latest film Sirens premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival and went on to win the Grand Jury Prize at Outfest.Rita talks about how she transitioned from competitive horse jumping to documentary filmmaking, her process in making the film Sirens, how she was able to bring Maya Rudolph and Natasha Lyonne on as Executive Producers, her collaboration with the composer Para One, how she was able to juggle verité shooting and directing, and more.Find Rita on Instagram Check out the film Sirens on Instagram and sirensdocumentary.com Host Jennie Butler on InstagramExecutive Producer Sky Dylan-RobbinsProducer Amy DiGiacomo on Instagram and TwitterProducer Caley Fox Shannon on InstagramProducer Abhishyant KidangoorEditor Audrey Horowitz on InstagramGot an idea for an episode? Email podcast@videoconsortium.orgClick here to support the Video Consortium

In this episode, we sit down with director, producer, and cinematographer Rita Baghdadi, who's latest film Sirens premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival and went on to win the Grand Jury Prize at Outfest. Rita talks about how she transitioned from competitive horse jumping to documentary filmmaking, her process in making the film Sirens, how she was able to bring Maya Rudolph and Natasha Lyonne on as Executive Producers, her collaboration with the composer Para One, how she was able to juggle verité shooting and directing, and more. Find Rita on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ritaamal/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a> Check out the film Sirens on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sirensdocumentary/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://www.sirensdocumentary.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">sirensdocumentary.com</a> Host <a href="https://jennie-butler.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jennie Butler</a> on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jen_but/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a> Executive Producer <a href="https://www.skydylanrobbins.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sky Dylan-Robbins</a> Producer Amy DiGiacomo on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/amyohyea/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/amyohyeaa" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter</a> Producer Caley Fox Shannon on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/caley_fox/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a> Producer Abhishyant Kidangoor Editor Audrey Horowitz on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/audreyhorwitz/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a> Got an idea for an episode? Email podcast@videoconsortium.org <a href="https://www.videoconsortium.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Click here</a> to support the Video Consortium

Rita Baghdadi on Building Intimacy with Subjects & Directing and Shooting Simultaneously

In “Sirens”, Rita Baghdadi (“My Country No More”, “City Rising”) joins to Mike to discuss her portrayal of the all-women Lebanese heavy metal band Slave to Sirens, with a focus on Sherry, the virtuosic lead guitarist, and Lilas, the rhythm guitarist who is the charismatic center of the band.  As much a coming of age story as a rock doc, “Sirens” explores not only their music, but the lives, relationships, and loves of their young lives.  In this highly layered film, the backdrop is the revolutionary Beirut of 2019 and beyond, and the impact of that country’s ever-hopeful and ever-tragic fate can be felt in their views of the past, present, and future.   Hidden Gem:  Fraud   “Sirens” screenings at the Minneapolis Saint Paul International Film Festival  Friday, May 13 | 9:45 PM | The Main  Wednesday, May 18 | 7:00 PM | The Main  For more information about the Festival, go to: https://mspfilm.org/festivals/mspiff/ 

In “Sirens”, Rita Baghdadi (“My Country No More”, “City Rising”) joins to Mike to discuss her portrayal of the all-women Lebanese heavy metal band <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9EMD9pTtjJ4P1p7b2V4j2w" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Slave to Sirens</a>, with a focus on Sherry, the virtuosic lead guitarist, and Lilas, the rhythm guitarist who is the charismatic center of the band.  As much a coming of age story as a rock doc, “Sirens” explores not only their music, but the lives, relationships, and loves of their young lives.  In this highly layered film, the backdrop is the revolutionary Beirut of 2019 and beyond, and the impact of that country’s ever-hopeful and ever-tragic fate can be felt in their views of the past, present, and future. Hidden Gem:  <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5721714/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Fraud</a> “Sirens” screenings at the Minneapolis Saint Paul International Film Festival Friday, May 13 | 9:45 PM | The Main Wednesday, May 18 | 7:00 PM | The Main For more information about the Festival, go to: <a href="https://mspfilm.org/festivals/mspiff/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://mspfilm.org/festivals/mspiff/</a>

”Sirens” with Rita Baghdadi

The Cinematography Podcast Sundance 2022 Special: SirensSirens is an intimate coming of age documentary focused on Lilas Mayassi and Shery Bechara, guitarists and co-founders of Slave to Sirens, the Middle East's first all-female thrash metal band. The documentary follows the band as they rehearse and play concerts, rebelling against the country's criticisms and stereotypes about women and heavy metal music. The relationships between bandmates is complicated, but they find an outlet in their music amid violent protests, fires and bombings in Beirut, Lebanon.Documentarian Rita Baghdadi had set out to find a story based in the Middle East or North Africa because her family background is Morrocan. In 2018 she found Slave to Sirens' EP online, saw photos of the band, and felt drawn to tell a story about the five women. The band was looking for press opportunities, and they welcomed Rita and her camera. None of them, including Rita, were sure Sirens would become a feature length documentary. Rita made several trips to Beirut from the U.S. to shoot and direct the documentary on her own, with just one camera, over a period of three years. She enjoys making intimate verite films, and unobtrusively focuses on the emotions in each scene. Rita was able to spend enough time with the band to weave a compelling documentary about independent women in the agony and ecstasy of their 20's, creating their own world to escape the chaos of their reality.Sirens premiered at the Sundance 2022 Film Festival and is seeking sales and distribution.Find director Rita Baghdadi http://www.ritabaghdadi.com/ Instagram: @ritaamalInstagram: @sirensdocumentaryFind the band, Slave to Sirens: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9EMD9pTtjJ4P1p7b2V4j2wSponsored by Hot Rod Cameras: www.hotrodcameras.com The Cinematography Podcast website: www.camnoir.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheCinematographyPodcast Facebook: @cinepodInstagram: @thecinepodTwitter: @ShortEndz

The Cinematography Podcast Sundance 2022 Special: Sirens Sirens is an intimate coming of age documentary focused on Lilas Mayassi and Shery Bechara, guitarists and co-founders of Slave to Sirens, the Middle East's first all-female thrash metal band. The documentary follows the band as they rehearse and play concerts, rebelling against the country's criticisms and stereotypes about women and heavy metal music. The relationships between bandmates is complicated, but they find an outlet in their music amid violent protests, fires and bombings in Beirut, Lebanon. Documentarian Rita Baghdadi had set out to find a story based in the Middle East or North Africa because her family background is Morrocan. In 2018 she found Slave to Sirens' EP online, saw photos of the band, and felt drawn to tell a story about the five women. The band was looking for press opportunities, and they welcomed Rita and her camera. None of them, including Rita, were sure Sirens would become a feature length documentary. Rita made several trips to Beirut from the U.S. to shoot and direct the documentary on her own, with just one camera, over a period of three years. She enjoys making intimate verite films, and unobtrusively focuses on the emotions in each scene. Rita was able to spend enough time with the band to weave a compelling documentary about independent women in the agony and ecstasy of their 20's, creating their own world to escape the chaos of their reality. Sirens premiered at the Sundance 2022 Film Festival and is seeking sales and distribution. Find director Rita Baghdadi <a href="http://www.ritabaghdadi.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.ritabaghdadi.com/</a> Instagram: @ritaamal Instagram: @sirensdocumentary Find the band, Slave to Sirens: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9EMD9pTtjJ4P1p7b2V4j2w" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9EMD9pTtjJ4P1p7b2V4j2w</a> Sponsored by Hot Rod Cameras: <a href="http://www.hotrodcameras.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.hotrodcameras.com</a> The Cinematography Podcast website: <a href="http://www.camnoir.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.camnoir.com</a> YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/TheCinematographyPodcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/c/TheCinematographyPodcast</a> Facebook: @cinepod Instagram: @thecinepod Twitter: @ShortEndz

Special Episode: Sundance 2022- Sirens director Rita Baghdadi

Rita Baghdadi's documentary SIRENS premiered today, on her birthday, at the Sundance Film Festival! What a way to celebrate a birthday! The film follows the Middle East's first all-female metal band in Beirut as they wrestle with friendship, sexuality and destruction in their pursuit of becoming thrash metal rock stars. In this episode we talk about the value of multi-faceted female representation on screen, intergenerational trauma associated with political and familial histories, and some of the more tender moments that are captured between these badass rock stars.   Follow the film:  Instagram: @sirensdocumentary Facebook: @sirensdocumentary Twitter: @sirensdoc Website: https://www.sirensdocumentary.com/ Watch the film at Sundance 

Rita Baghdadi's documentary SIRENS premiered today, on her birthday, at the Sundance Film Festival! What a way to celebrate a birthday! The film follows the Middle East's first all-female metal band in Beirut as they wrestle with friendship, sexuality and destruction in their pursuit of becoming thrash metal rock stars. In this episode we talk about the value of multi-faceted female representation on screen, intergenerational trauma associated with political and familial histories, and some of the more tender moments that are captured between these badass rock stars.  Follow the film:  Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sirensdocumentary/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@sirensdocumentary</a> Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Sirensdocumentary" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@sirensdocumentary</a> Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/SirensDoc" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@sirensdoc</a> Website: <a href="https://www.sirensdocumentary.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.sirensdocumentary.com/</a> <a href="https://festival.sundance.org/program/#film-info/61ae123c14aef7f96e1c0d3a" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Watch the film at Sundance </a>