BEYOND PARADISE
Press Kit
BeyondParadiseMovie.com
Genre:
Drama, Romance.
Logline:
Haunted by a tragic past, a stunning music student flees Iran and ends up in an
estranged marriage in Los Angeles, where her piano teacher’s young lover
sparks a passion in her that threatens to destroy all.
Synopsis:
Destiny weaves a love triangle: Shahrzad (Francia Raisa), a stunning music
student, her husband Sean (Max Amini), a successful stand-up comedian, and
Sebastian (Ryan Guzman), a poetic Spanish American gardener. Caught in the
middle is Shahrzad’s piano teacher, Elana (Daphne Zuniga), a former screen
femme fatale, who is having her own furtive affair with Sebastian.
Soon Sebastian falls in love with Shahrzad. Shahrzad discovers her “arranged”
marriage with Sean is doomed.
Unexpectedly, a friendship flourishes between Shahrzad (Muslim) and her piano
teacher Elana (Jewish), nourished by their passion for classical music, especially
Tchaikovsky’s music. It grows stronger when they learn of each other’s secret
tragedies.
Shahrzad becomes the focus of attention of two women, Elana and Parissa
(Yareli Arizmendi) her mother-in-law. Simultaneously, Shahrzad becomes the
object of desire for three men: Sebastian, Sean and Ray (Misha Crosby), the
loner brother-in-law.
Infusing the young lovers’ secret romance are Rumi’s ecstatic poems and Lorca’s
mysterious poetry that drive Sebastian in hot pursuit of Shahrzad, inflaming a
passion that threatens to destroy all.
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Director's Inspiration
“Lorsque rien n’existait, l’amour existait ;
et lorsqu’il ne restera plus rien, l’amour restera ;
il est le premier et le dernier."
“When nothing existed, love existed;
and when nothing shall remain, love shall remain;
It is the first and the last.”
- Princess Shéhérazade, One Thousand and One Nights.
Genesis
Early 1990’s in Paris while studying ‘Langue et Civilisation Françaises’ at
Sorbonne University, I read “Schéhérazade ou l’éducation d’un roi”
(Sheherazade or the education of a King) a book by Marie Lahy-Hollebecque**
see reference at bottom. From this book, I saved the above quote, which on
screen starts and sets the central theme of the movie Beyond Paradise.
A dual U.K. and U.S. citizen but of mixed Middle Eastern descent, I’ve spent
most of my life in exile – away from motherland and family – studying, living, and
working in London, San Francisco, Rio, Los Angeles, New York, and Paris.
I’m drawn to the stories of displaced people, the plight of the voiceless and
marginalized minorities of the world, especially women, children, and gays and
lesbians. The human being’s most powerful and mysterious feeling of “falling in
love” intrigues me. I’m attracted to cross-cultural love stories involving conflict,
aiming for greater understanding and appreciation of diverse cultures.
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Shahrzad (Francia Raisa) Tehran flashback
Beyond Paradise maybe the first movie about the lives of certain Iranian
immigrants uprooted from their homeland and displaced to California. In
particular, the film is about the tragic consequences of violent abuse of a young
classical music student, Shahrzad, who flees Iran to marry an Iranian in Los
Angeles, but then falls in love with a Spanish-American man.
Perhaps as a therapy against her past tragedy, Shahrzad becomes an avid
reader of Rumi, the 13th C. Persian poet and philosopher. Rumi’s ecstatic poetry
is naturally used in the film, a bit similar to the use of Neruda’s poems in the
Italian movie Il Postino. Set in Los Angeles, it felt right that Beyond Paradise
should be mostly in the English language. Hopefully this may help to introduce
Rumi’s sublime love poems and the tragic repercussions of ‘Violence Against
Women’, to a wider international audience.
Visuals
To arrive at an outline of a story, I need to imagine striking visuals. Or, to be
struck by images that are so astonishing and haunting they shadow me during
the day and follow me to bed at night. The images begin to generate, or
associate with, themes or ideas that I care passionately about. It helps if the
images/themes evoke music and/or dance that could become organic elements
of the story.
Music and poetry quickly developed into integral parts of this storytelling. Being a
world music collector (a Patron of World Music Institute in NY) I gravitate to plots
where music and dance and/or poetry are natural elements of the story. My first
feature David & Layla (a political romantic comedy) works and is elevated by its
mélange of the music and dance worlds of Jewish David and Muslim Layla,
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mixed with the jazz sounds of New York where the unlikely lovers first meet by a
stroke of Destiny.
Violence Against Women
Du'a Khalil Aswad
Beyond Paradise’s central character 'Shahrzad' and her tragic story evolved from
several sources. A few years ago, I saw a mobile phone video on YouTube of a
delicate 17-year old girl, Du'a Khalil Aswad, being kicked and stoned to death by
men in Iraq. Some of the murderers were members her own immediate family.
This was a diabolical instance of a so-called “Honor Killing." What was Du'a’s
crime that her family so badly wanted their "Honor" saved from, driving them to
crush her to death so abominably? Du'a and a 19-year old boy from a faith
different than hers had fallen in love.
Du'a Khalil Aswad
During Du'a's struggle, her skirt gets lifted up so a black jacket is thrown over her
lower body. But it comes off, exposing her sexy black Western underwear. This
further infuriates a man who picks up a concrete block lying on her head, and
then he slams it back down onto her head to finish her off. Several men,
including a couple of policemen, were witnessing this surreal barbarism. Yet no
one came forward to help her. So gruesome were the grainy visuals of young
Du'a trying helplessly and hopelessly to rise while rocks were thrown down on
her, I could never erase them from my mind.
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Neda SOLTAN’s murder in Tehran
Neda Soltan
Then, in summer 2009 I saw on TV the Tehran street protests against President
Ahmadinejad’s disputed re-election. Long batons brutally beat peaceful young
men and women. Suddenly, a young woman was shot in her heart and fell to
death. This was Neda Soltan, a music student accompanied by her music
teacher. Neda’s final moments were caught on mobile phones and broadcast
around the world and posted on the Internet. (The haunting video of her innocent
eyes frozen wide open and framed by flowing blood is featured in Beyond
Paradise.)
The Neda Soltan was a young music student led to our fictional character
Shahrzad to be also a music student. Thus allow the organic use of music in the
movie.
Neda Soltan
Sheherazade’s 1001 Nights
The next piece came from the classical story of Sheherazade (Shahrzad), the
young princess storyteller of One Thousand and One Nights, misnamed by the
British as Arabian Nights>> see Notes at bottom.
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When Shah (‘King’) Shahryar caught his wife making love to the cook, he was so
enraged he had his wife decapitated. Convinced that all women are false and
faithless, he vowed to behead each of his virgin brides after the first nuptial night.
But the most beautiful of all the virgins, Princess Sheherazade, willingly offered
herself to the Shah. She saved her life by entertaining her lord with compelling
and endless tales.
Sheherazade was so well educated in literature, poetry, theater, art, and history
that she managed to tell fantastic stories night after night. Using her studies of
human nature, Sheherazade immediately captured the Shah’s attention by
making her initial tales to be about betrayal, treachery, vengeance and death,
often exposing crafty, vile, tricky and disloyal women. This was sweet music to
the Shah's ears.
At each dawn, she cleverly ended her stories on a suspenseful cliffhanger so the
Shah would postpone her death to the next night to hear the rest of the story. But
Sheherazade’s stories within stories were not just mesmerizing but never ending.
('One Night' in the title of 'One Thousand and One Nights' is meant to imply
infinity.)
Only when Sheherazade gained the Shah’s confidence did she unfold tales full of
magic, humor, warmth, wit, surprise and happy endings; and exemplary stories
with moral or wisdom of life messages; and other imaginative and astonishing
stories within stories, some spiced with eroticism; others featured believable
Jinnis, Houris, speaking animals, flying magic carpets, and crystals that could
instantly reveal distant scenes, much like today’s internet.
Sheherazade’s stories were often about the mystery and the intoxicating power
of Love, and about the unavoidable ways of Destiny; the unpredictable turns of
Wheels of Fate, reversing and devastating man's fortune and happiness.
Imperceptibly, Sheherazade spun riveting stories featuring beautiful, playful and
seductive heroines who were clever, witty, strong, just, truthful and able to foil
and survive men’s dastardly tricks and traps. The women often excelled in noble
virtues such as wisdom, patience, grace, charm, deep love - and yes - absolute
loyalty!
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"Greatest Story Ever Told"
Consumed with curiosity, the Shah postponed from day to day the execution of
Sheherazade, and finally repudiated his bloody vow entirely. He fell in love with
Sheherazade and married her! Thus Sheherazade triumphed not only to save
herself but all the other virgins from being deflowered, and then beheaded.
What a supreme testimony to the magical powers of storytelling! Young
Sheherazade enthralled and educated a betrayed and cruel King by captivating
him with stories night after night, thus preventing the Shah from deflowering and
beheading virginal girls. No wonder A. S. Byatt and other literary scholars esteem
Sheherazade’s 1001 Nights to be "the greatest story ever told."
"I don't deserve to be called Shahrzad"
Naturally the pre-Islam Sheherazade or Shahrzad continues to be a popular
name for girls in Iran. Naming our music student Shahrzad led to the background
subplot that she, too, tries to save her best school friend Zara from being
murdered in Tehran street protests. Against impossible odds, Shahrzad risks her
life to save Zara. But she fails. Worse: an acid attack horrifically scars one of her
breasts. Shahrzad survives with the memory of Zara’s murder embedded in her
heart.
Scarred physically for life and traumatized, Shahrzad has to live the rest of her
life burdened with the guilt of her failure to save Zara. Hence Shahrzad’s
touching dialog in Beyond Paradise to her lover Sebastian: “I don’t deserve to be
called Shahrzad.”
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Sheherazade Symphony by Korsakov, 1888
Sheherazade's’ tales of 1001 nights fascinated Europe and the rest of the world.
The French Enlightenment philosopher Voltaire claimed he read 'Les Mille et Une
Nuits' (The 1001 Nights) fourteen times before he penned his Zadig ou la
Destinée, a philosophical novel in the manner of 1001 Nights >> see reference at
bottom.
In 1888, the Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov paid his homage to
Sheherazade’s 1001 Nights by composing a splendid orchestral symphony suite
entitled Scheherazade. In 1910, this symphony inspired the ballet adaptation
Shéhérazade performed in Paris by Ballets Russes under the direction of Michel
Fokine.
An evocative piece of Sheherazade's music opens the movie. This sublimely
sweet and poignant music becomes a recurring theme on the movie’s
soundtrack- a counterpoint to the violent images of Shahrzad's flashbacks to her
past tragedy in Tehran.
Rumi and Lorca’s Poetry
Shahrzad’s story about true Love naturally led to the 13 C. Persian poet Rumi
who had written about divine Spirituality and universal Love. Fortunately, Rumi
also composed ecstatic romantic love poems, some 300 years before
Shakespeare’s poetry about the magic of Love. Rumi's simple but breathtakingly
romantic poems about sensual love needed to be celebrated in our movie.
To compliment Shahrzad’s love for Rumi, I developed her lover Sebastian, a
Spanish-American. Thus the motivation to invoke Federico Garcia Lorca’s poems
as Sebastian’s interest, which mirror Shahrzad’s passion for Rumi’s poems.
Poetry became an additional attraction between the two lovers.
(The complete list of Rumi and Lorca's poems used is on the movie site at:
Poems.)
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Breast Cancer
Elana (Daphne Zuniga) endures breast cancer
About the time of developing these characters and themes, my London-based
sister was diagnosed with breast cancer. Later my older sister was also
discovered with breast cancer. I made Shahrzad’s piano teacher Elana to be also
afflicted with breast cancer. Thus Elana and Shahrzad discover that in addition to
their common passion for Tchaikovsky’s music, they both suffer from breast
problems. By sharing their secret breast tragedies, Shahrzad and Elana
gradually bond and become best friends... while both in love with Sebastian.
Qismat = Destiny. Love Triangle
Qismat or Destiny is part of the Iranian and the Middle East's culture and daily
life.
Shahrzad flees Iran and marries an Iranian American stand-up comedian in Los
Angeles in a kind of arranged marriage- a marriage of convenience. To escape to
freedom, many girls hopelessly stuck under oppressive regimes, some even
suffering, or threatened with, violent abuse, marry men of their own ethnicity who
are already successful and established in the free West.
Sebastian (Ryan Guzman) recites Rumi to Shahrzad (Francia Raisa)
By creating the Shahrzad character to be a classical music student, it gave the
idea to create Elana. Elana becomes Shahrzad’s piano teacher. Since Shahrzad
is Muslim, making Elana to be Jewish, albeit a reformist liberal Jewess, it made
the student and teacher dialog and relationship more interesting.
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Young Sebastian is Elana’s handsome and poetic gardener. He's also her secret
beau. But it’s Coup de Foudre, Love at First Sight, when Sebastian by accident
(Destiny) first sees Shahrzad. Later by the ocean waves, Shahrzad weeps over a
Farsi word she had written in the sand: ‘Qismat.'
A complex love triangle ensues between Shahrzad, Sean her husband, and
Sebastian, with Elana caught in the middle. Alluding to the impossibility of their
situation, Shahrzad in a tender scene says to Sebastian: "Maybe it's my fate."
Classical Music
Shahrzad, Elana and Sebastian's passion for music and poetry led to the natural
use of both Iranian and Western classical music on the movie’s soundtrack.
Rimsky-Korsakov’s Sheherazade tender music opens the movie. This sweet
music is replayed over the graphically violent beating of Shahrzad and Zara
during the Tehran flashbacks, which may remind of Stanley Kubrick’s use of
Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 wonderful music on the soundtrack of A Clockwork
Orange as counterpoint to the violent gang rape scene.
Similarly, Korsakov’s Sheherazade music is repeated on Beyond Paradise's
soundtrack to contrast the beauty and poetry of life against the ugliness and
absurdity of violence.
Shahrzad’s teacher Elana, the classical pianist, gave the chance to feature a few
phrases from the classical music of Tchaikovsky, Bach, Mozart and Beethoven.
For our cross-cultural love story, this parallels the use of classical Persian music
played on ancient instruments of Iran: Setar, Ney, Robab, Santoor, Daf and
Tonbak (some of which are about 4000 years old.)
Samples of music cues used are on the movie site at Music Soundtrack.
Equality Now
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How is it that women who hundreds of years ago had such important roles in
literature and society and were the objects and muses of high admiration,
passionate poems, and splendid music, but now they are objects of fear, abuse,
oppression, beatings, acid attacks, even being stoned to death? Why in the 21st
C. are women still not allowed the same freedom as men? As Shahrzad says:
"(Back home) I was not even allowed to sing in public."
The Ocean
The ocean is a constant metaphor from the start of the story to the end. The
lovers’ rendez-vous often on the beach. Their poignant, joyous and sad romance
scenes occur by the sea, as is their final tragic scene. The backdrop imagery of
the ocean echoes Life, including the lovers’ ideal of Love: beautiful, deep,
turbulent, vast, ceaseless, and forever. The final scene of the script reads:
“Camera flies, chasing the gun down the cliff. It sweeps over the rocks, searching
for Shahrzad and Sebastian's bodies. Nothing is seen or heard except the sound
of the wind and the sight of the ocean endlessly returning to embrace the shore
over and over, as if nothing happened...”
This movie's end may remind of Romeo and Juliet’s finale. Beyond Paradise
ends with a surprise additional ending: a dream-like lovers' embrace that fades to
pure white- a divine wish that perhaps 'true love survives even death'; thus bookending with the opening 'Sheherazade' quote of the movie: “When nothing
existed, love existed; and when nothing shall remain, love shall remain; it is the
first and the last.”
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In the same spirit, Rumi's spiritual poem “Cycle of Life” is divinely sang by the
actress/singer Fereshteh Dehghani in the final ending of the movie.
I died as a mineral, I grew as a plant
I died as a plant, I arose as an animal
I died as an animal, I returned as a human
Why should I fear? When was I less by dying?
When I die as a human, I shall fly with the angels
When I leave my angel-soul, I soar higher
I shall reach the ecstasy of the Divine
All shall perish, except the Divine.
- Rumi, 13th C. Persian poet
*****
Notes:
Persian Hazar Afsan or Hazar o Yak Shab, that's 'Sheherazade's 1001 Nights'
was enhanced and expanded further during the golden age of Middle Eastern
arts and literature. It's translated into every language correctly with the original,
magnificent title of 'One Thousand and One Nights', including into Arabic Alf
Layla wa Layla and French Les Mille et Une Nuits.
One Thousand and One Nights book cover in Arabic
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Except for the British who changed the marvelous and poetic One Thousand and
One Nights to the banal and commercial title of 'Arabian Nights Entertainment'
(later shortened to 'Arabian Nights') accentuating the sexuality of the stories,
evidently to titillate and attract book readers in the repressed Britain under the
reign of Queen Victoria.
The 1001 Nights influenced almost every writer of fame from Boccaccio
(Decameron) to Cervantes, Voltaire, Proust, Stendhal, Dumas, Jules Vernes,
Goethe, Hans Christian Anderson, Pushkin, Tolstoy, Wordsworth, H.G. Wells,
Poe, Angela Carter... and Borges.
Some 20 years of research led to a brilliant book "The Arabian Nights- A
Companion" by the British scholar Dr. Robert Irwin. He calls the last chapter
'Children Of The Nights' devoting over 60 pages to discuss the famous writers
influenced by The 1001 Nights. Irwin concludes: "Indeed, it might have been an
easier, shorter chapter if I had discussed those writers who were not influenced
by The Nights." << see reference at bottom.
In America, sadly the wonderful, fantastic, adventurous, witty, sensual, multilayered, moral and diverse stories of The 1001 Nights, "the best story ever told",
is largely known only for a few of its tales, turned into simplistic and popular
animation movies, such as Ali Baba, Sinbad and Disney's Aladdin.
** Schéhérazade ou l'éducation d'un roi by Marie Lahy-Hollebecque, Paris, 1987.
>> Zadig ou la Destinée ,"Zadig, or Destiny", Paris, 1747.
<< The Arabian Nights - A Companion by Robert Irwin, London, 1994.
*****
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Cast
Francia Raisa (Shahrzad)
As a Gracie Award and La Femme Film Festival Rising Star
Award recipient, 2012 Teen Choice, IMAGEN and an
ALMA award nominee for her portrayal of ‘Adrian Lee’ on
ABC Family’s critically acclaimed series “The Secret Life of
an American Teenager,” Francia Raisa continues to prove
herself as a star on the rise. Francia was featured on the
August 2012 cover of Backstage magazine as one of
Young Hollywood’s top Latinos in American TV and Film,
further proving she is a unique talent to watch.
Francia was born and raised in Southern California to mother Virginia
Almendarez of Mexico and father Maximo Renan Almendarez Coello of
Honduras, (one of the most recognized radio personalities and #1 Latino DJs in
Los Angeles). At the age of five, Francia began taking dance lessons to learn all
styles from tap to jazz, acrobatics, hip- hop and Polynesian. In addition to dance,
she trained in karate and ice-skating. Looking to expand her talents her junior
year of high school, Francia decided to study both acting and modeling. She
started to get noticed, and soon began to model for print ads and national
commercials. A month into her senior year of high school, Francia booked her
first lead role, starring opposite Hayden Panettiere in Bring it On: All or Nothing.
Not long after wrapping Bring it On, Francia booked the lead female role of
MGM’s TV movie for ABC Family The Cutting Edge 3: Chasing the Dream,
before ultimately landing her breakout role as ‘Adrian Lee,’ a series regular ABC
Family’s award-winning The Secret Life of the American Teenager. Created by
Brenda Hampton (7th Heaven), the program broke all records for an original
series on the network, including taking the #1 spot in its time slot for cable TV
when it premiered in summer of 2008. The show is one of the most popular teen
TV shows on air. Up next, Francia will be seen on an upcoming episode of The
Mindy Project, and she has been cast as a recurring player in The CW pilot The
Company Town.
Adding to an even more exciting year, Francia stars as Tory Bell with WWE
Superstar Mike “The Miz” Mizanin in the ABC Family original movie Christmas
Bounty, produced by Michael Luisi (The Call) and WWE Studio. It premieres on
November 26 , 2013.
In addition to her success on television, the horror film Chastity Bites, in which
Francia stars was released early November 2013 by Gravitas Ventures via
Warner Bros.
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Francia stars alongside Ryan Guzman in Beyond Paradise, a drama crosscultural love story executive produced by Gill Holland (Sweet Land, Hurricane
Streets, FLOW: For Love of Water, Spring Forward, Loggerheads...), and
directed by J.J. Alani (David & Layla.)
Francia resides in Los Angeles and continues to stay true to her dancing roots
with weekly advanced classes at a dance studio in Hollywood. Francia strives to
be a role model for all her female fans. In her spare time, she works to raise
awareness on important causes such as hunger, domestic violence, sex
trafficking and female empowerment.
Ryan Guzman (Sebastian)
Lionsgate/Summit Entertainment cast Ryan Guzman to
play the lead role again in number 5 of the international
franchise Step Up series of movies. To be shot in 3D, it's
expected to be released in 2014. (Lionsgate announced
Guzman's first starring Step Up Revolution grossed more
than $140M worldwide.)
Starring with Jennifer Lopez and Kristin Chenoweth,
Guzman will play the titular role in The Boy Next Door, the
Blumhouse thriller. Slated to begin shooting Fall 2013, Rob
Cohen will direct the movie, and Universal Studios will
distribute it worldwide.
He can be seen as "Jake", a regular principal role, on the international hit ABC
Family TV series Pretty Little Liars.
Guzman was a model, MMA fighter who has caught the notice of Hollywood.
Guzman has been seen in television commercials for Old Navy, Gillette, Candies
and the Oprah Winfrey Network. He was a successful print model in San
Francisco signing with LOOK Modeling Agency at the age of 18 and in Los
Angeles, where he joined the esteemed Wilhelmina Agency at age 22. He has
modeled for Abercrombie & Fitch, Affliction and Reebok among others.
Born in Texas and raised in his hometown of Sacramento, Guzman never
thought of becoming an actor, much less a dancer. At the age of 7, he developed
an interest in martial arts and earned his first black belt in Tae Kwon Do by the
age of 10. This led him into the octagon as a MMA fighter in Sacramento until his
fighting license expired in 2010, while also modeling. A gifted athlete, he was a
sought-after left-handed pitcher with a fastball clocked between 87-90 miles per
hour. A shoulder injury ended this career dream while Guzman was still a
teenager.
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He sought out a talent manager and after having signed with one started the
audition process a few short months later for Step Up Revolution and landed the
male lead, his first acting role.
He followed with the indie film April Rain directed by Luciano Saber and most
recently There's Always Woodstock directed by Rita Merson, and Beyond
Paradise, a drama cross-cultural love story executive produced by Gill Holland
(Sweet Land, Hurricane Streets, FLOW: For Love of Water, Spring Forward,
Loggerheads...), and directed by J.J. Alani (David & Layla.)
Daphne Zuniga (Elana)
Daphne Zuniga is beloved by generations of moviegoers
for her performances in such classic films as Mel Brooks'
Spaceballs, and The Sure Thing, in which she starred
opposite John Cusack. On television, she starred as Jo
Beth Reynolds on the hit series Melrose Place, played the
scheming Victoria Davis for five seasons on One Tree Hill,
and starred on the ABC Family series Beautiful People.
Over the past several years she has also starred in a
number of highly rated movies for television, including On
Strike for Christmas, A Family Thanksgiving, and her latest, Gone Missing. On
stage, she starred in the world premiere of Theresa Rebeck's play The Scene,
and will soon be seen in the film version.
Zuniga stars in a new cable TV Signed, Sealed, Delivered, which premiered as a
TV movie on cable's Hallmark Channel in November 2013. It will become a 10episode weekly series in 2014. Signed, Sealed, Delivered also stars Eric Mabius
(Ugly Betty), and Kristin Booth (The Kennedys.)
Outside of acting, she is deeply committed to environmental issues, and was a
founding member of Earth Communications Office (ECO), an organization that
harnesses the power of the environmental movement and the entertainment
community. In 2009, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa appointed her to
the founding board of the LA River Revitalization Corporation. She is a native of
Berkeley, CA.
Misha Crosby (Ray)
Misha Crosby (born 28 January 1987) is a British actor
based in Hollywood, California.
Crosby was born and brought up in London. He was a music
scholar at school and led a world premiere on the violin at
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the Wigmore Hall at 14 years old. He performed for the National Youth Music
Theatre and went on to train at Drama Studio London.
He previously starred in the BBC television series Holby City as Sam Strachan's
son Kieron, in Channel 4's Hollyoaks and has had various guest appearances in
other TV shows. In 2011 he was cast as Ryan Harwell in the Warner Brothers
television series The Lying Game.
Film roles include, Abbas in the award winning British feature film Life Goes On,
and he stars in Beyond Paradise playing the pivotal role of the traumatized loner
Ray. Beyond Paradise is a drama cross-cultural love story also starring Francia
Raisa, Ryan Guzman and Daphne Zuniga, a drama cross-cultural love story
executive produced by Gill Holland (Sweet Land, Hurricane Streets, FLOW: For
Love of Water, Spring Forward, Loggerheads...), and directed by J.J. Alani
(David & Layla.)
Max Amini (Sean)
Max Amini was born in Tucson Arizona and was raised on
the East Coast. He graduated from UCLA’s school of
Theater, Film and Television in 2004. As an actor, Max has
over 50 film and television credits including NBC’s Heroes,
regular appearances on Comedy Central’s Mind of Mencia,
and a leading role in the upcoming feature film Beyond
Paradise.
Max began his standup comedy career in 2002 at the LA
Improv. In 2009 Max was chosen as one of the finalists for
NBC’s Diversity Showcase. Through an array of eccentric impressions and novel
storytelling, Max expresses his comedy by delivering a strong message about
family ties, cultural aspects, and social topics. What really sets Max apart from
most comedians is his ability to improvise and create on the spot. It's not
uncommon for an audience member to sit through two Max Amini shows in one
night and find two totally different performances.
Max is now headlining his own shows and his international tour is in places like
Canada, England, Australia, Germany, Dubai, Sweden, and Malaysia and have
been well received.
Max plays the complex role of Shahrzad's husband in Beyond Paradise, a drama
cross-cultural love story executive produced by Gill Holland (Sweet Land,
Hurricane Streets, FLOW: For Love of Water, Spring Forward, Loggerheads...),
and directed by J.J. Alani (David & Layla.)
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Yareli Arizmendi (Parisa)
Award winning actress, writer and producer, Yareli
Arizmendi is best known for her tour de force performances
as "Rosaura" in Like Water for Chocolate and “Lila
Rodriguez” in A Day Without a Mexican which she co-wrote
and co-produced.
She plays the critical and principal role of Parissa in
Beyond Paradise, a drama cross-cultural love story
executive produced by Gill Holland (Sweetland, Hurricane
Streets, FLOW: For Love of Water, Spring Forward,
Loggerheads...), and directed by J.J. Alani (David & Layla.)
Her other films include: The Road directed by David De Leon both presently in
post-production, Mariachi Gringo directed by Tom Gustafson, winner of the
Guadalajara Film Festival 2012, América by Sonia Fritz with Eddie Olmos, Don’t
Let Me Drown by Cruz Angeles, Fast Food Nation by Rick Linklater and Naco Es
Chido by Sergio Arau which she co-produced as well.
She has starred in numerous American episodic shows including House,
Medium, 24, Six Feet Under, and Heroes and has lent her voice to many
products, public awareness campaigns and audio books including The Alchemist,
Like Water for Chocolate, The Law of Love and Malinche.
Her work with Luis Valdez at Teatro Campesino and Teatro de la Esperanza with
Jose Luis Valenzuela helped shape the socially conscious work to come. A
partial list of those interviewed by her includes: Noam Chomsky, Jesse Jackson,
Naomi Klein (The Shock Doctrine) Junot Diaz (Pulitzer Prize winner - The Brief
Life of Oscar Wao), Lila Downs, Maria Hinojosa, Rigoberta Menchú, Amy
Goodman (host of Democracy Now), and John Perkins (Confessions of an
Economic Hit Man.)
Yareli is presently working on a novel entitled The Story of Y. A curious autobiography which brings a bi-national, bi-cultural political and social reality into
sharp focus through the eyes of a young girl making sense of it. A CubanMexican born in Mexico City, Yareli received her BA in Political Science and her
MFA in Theatre at the University of California, San Diego.
Christopher Maleki (Hosain/Tehran flashback)
Christopher Maleki is a native of Glendale, California. He
started acting professionally at the young age of 12. He
always knew what he wanted to do. Christopher started
working continuously on Teen magazine phase and several
series. Then, on September 20th 1996, Christopher was
18
working on the TV show Sliders with fellow actor Ken Steadman when tragedy
struck. Ken was the driver of a dune buggy with cameras mounted on;
Christopher was a passenger when the vehicle flipped over killing Ken and
seriously injuring Christopher. It was a life-changing experience. Christopher
decided to take a couple of years off and see the world.
Since his return, Christopher has enjoyed much success taking roles on popular
series such as Beverly Hills 90210, Party of Five and recurring roles on Santa
Barbara, The Bold and the Beautiful, Pacific Blue, and Days of Our Lives.
With many films and episodic TV under his belt, Christopher signed on with the
soap Passions, where he played the lovable bad boy "Spike Lester". While
continuing his work on Passions, Christopher took notable roles on hit prime time
shows such as CSI:NY, and the feature film Mcbride: It's Murder, Madam
opposite John Larroquette. The increase in film and television roles during this
time allowed Christopher to prove his diversity and talent as an actor. After
several seasons on Passions, Christopher left to pursue other work, which has
included roles on the Starz series Crash and the CBS mega hit, CSI.
Mel Fair (Dr. Richards)
Mel Fair has more than 25-years of award-winning
experience in the entertainment industry. He has appeared
in numerous feature films, including Beyond Paradise,
Ragamuffin, Johnny, The Ultimate Gift, Atlas Shrugged:
Parts I, II & III as well as J.J. Abrams and Steven
Spielberg’s, Super 8, among others. Mel has made guest
appearances on more than 45 episodic and daytime
television shows including, True Blood, Body of Proof,
Rizzoli & Isles, CSI: Miami, CSI: NY, Desperate
Housewives, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and The Defenders
to name a few. Mel has also played recurring roles on Justified, Weeds,
Revenge, Scandal, Chuck, Big Love, Dirty Sexy Money, The O.C., and many
other hit shows on the small screen.
In addition, Mel has lent his voice-over talents to numerous video games,
including Call of Duty: World at War, Command and Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight,
Shrek 2 as the Magic Mirror, Everquest II and Tribes Vengeance, among others.
He has also been heard on television and radio spots for Disney Live! Rockin
Road Show, U.S. Cellular, Outback Steakhouse, Kawasaki, Polaris snowmobiles,
KFC, and Golden Corral Restaurants, as well as numerous other voice-over
projects nationwide and around the globe.
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Kira Soltanovich (Kira / Standup comedian)
Kira has been a recurring character for seven years on The
Tonight Show with Jay Leno as the voice of “The Photo
Booth.”
A Series Regular on the Oxygen and nationally syndicated
show, Girls Behaving Badly, she has also appeared on
such shows as PrankStars, Hell’s Kitchen, Jimmy Kimmel
Live and Fresh Baked Videos on Spike. And also, listen for
Kira as the voice of "Carla", in the animated series, Iggy
Cool. You can catch her on two FOX shows, Red Eye and
Reality Binge as a correspondent.
She’s written for Joan Rivers on the TV Land series How’d You Get So Rich?
and for such Disney stars as Selena Gomez, Mitch Musso and Debby Ryan on
the Disney show PrankStars. Most recently, Kira sold a pilot to Disney called
Weekly Squeak, the network’s first clip style promotion show.
Born in the former Soviet Union, and raised by immigrant parents in San
Francisco, Kira Soltanovich has plenty to laugh about. "Like most kids, my
parents took me to Disneyland… not for the rides, for the lines. They assumed
there’d be food at the end of them."
A staple on the comedy scene, Kira has worked in the entertainment world as a
writer, actor and producer. Her first television option was with New Line
Television for the hybrid comedy, Weren’t You Scott Baio? Her feature film
What’s Your Sign? was optioned with Terra Firma at Universal later that year.
Kira is currently writing/producing two scripts for Moscow’s Channel One.
You can catch her on Showtime in the critically acclaimed comedy special Hot
Tamales Live, and in her own half hour comedy special for the Showtime network
called Here Comes Trouble.
She has shot several pilots this year for Comedy Central, The Food Network,
Lifetime and VH1, including a brand new Celebrity, Sports and Entertainment
pilot called Box Seat with Dennis Rodman and Jose Conseco. Kira has hosted
shows on FOX, E!, and VH1. She headlines clubs and colleges, and tours the
world entertaining troops in USO shows.
Lastly, she has performed in a myriad of comedy competitions and festivals,
including Last Comic Standing, The Cape Town International Comedy Festival,
Comedy Central's Laugh Riots, and several times at the prestigious Just For
Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal.
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Rome Shahdanloo (Zara / Tehran flashback)
Born in Tehran, Iran, Rome Shadanloo came to Los
Angeles at the age of 2. Growing up she lived in a world of
imagination, which prompted her to pick up her first paint
brush at the age of 4. In High School she was deeply
inspired to pursue acting but decided to attend art school
instead. Rome made the difficult decision to leave art
school and finally pursue acting.
She got her first break on How I Met Your Mother and has
been working steadily since. Rome Shadanloo works
toward her artistic goals under the alias, Rome Apple. She has had several
successful gallery shows and has found a way to successfully combine both her
passions.
In 2012, she was asked to make scary dolls that were used in the psychological
thriller The Cottage in which she also had a supporting role. She continues to
pursue great roles, which inspire her artistically, such as in Beyond Paradise.
Ali Olomi (Faraz / Tehran flashback)
Ali Olomi is an accomplished actor, independent
filmmaker and Union SAG/AFTRA member working in
Hollywood, CA. Born in Kabul, Afghanistan; he has lived
in Germany, India and San Diego, CA. He later moved to
Los Angeles to pursue his acting career. He has worked
in Hollywood feature films, independent films, student
Films, TV Series, commercials, voice over and ADR. He
is fluent in five languages: English, Dari, Farsi, Hindi and
German. His Lead Roles in short dramas have garnished
him praise at the Cannes International Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival,
Asian Film Festival, Berkshire Film Festival, as well as other International film
festivals. He recently acted in InAPPropriate Comedy with Adrien Brody, Rob
Schneider, Michelle Rodriguez and Lindsay Lohan released in theaters on March
22, 2013.
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Filmmakers
Gill Holland, Executive Producer
Spirit Award nominee for Producer of the Year, Gill Holland
produced Hurricane Streets, the first film ever to win 3
prizes at Sundance. He has over ninety (90) independent
films to his credit on IMDb- Internet Movie Database.
His filmography includes other Sundance favorites FLOW:
For Love of Water, Spring Forward, Loggerheads,
Catechism Cataclysm, It Felt Like Love, the FOX sitcom
Greg The Bunny, the Spirit Award winner and first carbon-neutral independent
film Sweet Land, Al Gore’s 2008 Reel Current Award winning doc Mountain Top
Removal, SXSW audience prize winner Maidentrip and the Emmy-nominated
doc Dear Jesse.
Gill was the co-producer of J. Jonroy Alani's first feature David & Layla.
He produced three volumes of cineBLAST! short film compilations. He is partner
at The Group Entertainment, the KY/NYC management/production company, and
former adjunct professor at NYU Graduate Film School. Gill worked at the
French Film Office and has been on the jury for shorts at Sundance and selection
committee for the Academy Awards, Student Division.
Gill Holland and his wife Augusta were instrumental in turning an economically
depressed and run-down east downtown Louisville area into NuLu - a thriving
arts/design and sustainability district. Holland coined the term NuLu and serves
as President of the NuLu Business Association. 5 years ago, Holland opened
NuLu's flagship arts center "The Green Building", the only LEED "Platinum"
commercial building in Kentucky. He is now working on developing Louisville’s
Portland district.
J.J. Alani, Writer / Producer / Director
Based in New York, J. J. Alani aka J. Jonroy Alani also
works in Los Angeles and Paris. A Directors Guild of
America (DGA) member and a Writers Guild of America
(WGA) member in New York since 1996, Alani is the
writer/producer/director of David & Layla, a political
romantic comedy. (He dedicated this film to his family
members murdered in a genocide campaign.)
His new feature Beyond Paradise is a cross-cultural drama love story. See the
genesis of the story at Director’s Inspiration.
Official Selection at 28 international film festivals, David & Layla won 8 Awards,
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including Mon Amour Festival’s Grand Prix du Public against La Vie en Rose, 2
Days in Paris and Lady Chatterley.
David & Layla received praise from the Nobel Laureate, Oscar nominee
Screenwriter and Playwright, Harold Pinter: “A bold, politically relevant film
against impossible odds.” Also, critical reviews in the New York Times, Variety,
Washington Post, LA Times, etc.
Alani is in development on a new independent movie entitled Amorous, and two
epic films - the 5000-year-old epic historical allegory 'Gilgamesh' as two
screenplays: ‘Gilgamesh’ and ‘Gilgamesh: In Search of Immortality.’
He studied at The UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television and at the USC
School of Cinematic Arts (Advanced Screenwriting Practicum) in Los Angeles,
1985-1989.
Hollywood’s largest studio, Warner Bros, as well as Netflix, iTunes, Amazon,
Vudu, Turner Classic Movies, etc., continue the digital distribution of David &
Layla. Its Musical score is on 60+ international music sites, including iTunes.
Following Creative Photography studies at the London Camden School of Arts,
Alani worked briefly as a Fashion Photographer in London and Paris.
In Paris, he studied at the Sorbonne University, 1990-1994, receiving a “Diplôme
Supérieur de Langue et Civilisation Françaises.”
In New York, he coached graduate students at the Graduate Department of New
York University Film School-Tisch School of the Arts on their final thesis projects,
1996-2000.
He served as an Acting Coach at the Circle in the Square Broadway Theater
School in New York where his then wife, Olga Alexandrova aka Layla Alexander
was studying, 1995-1999.
Earlier in England, he had received a (B.Sc.) First Class Honors in Science and
Sociology at Leicester University, (D.I.C.) Diploma of London Imperial College,
and a Masters Degree (M.Sc.) in Cybernetics at London University.
In London, as a Marketing Executive with ICL, he worked with the creators of the
Monty Python London TV series, while at night he studied ‘Acting, Speech, and
Movement’ at the ‘City Lit’- the City Literary Institute.
A member of The Royal Photographic Society (U.K), Alani is an Art collector and
a Patron of World Music Institute in New York.
He is the founder of ‘Human Rights For All – No Exceptions!’ featured on
Facebook, which focuses on female empowerment and equal human rights for
oppressed women and the minorities of the world, including gays and lesbians.
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A dual American and British citizen, J.J. Alani was born in the Middle East. He is
fluent in English and French, some Portuguese, and he speaks and understands
a few Middle Eastern languages. He has lived and worked in Paris, London, Rio
de Janeiro, San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York.
Matthew Lessall, Casting Director
Born in London but raised in New York, casting director
Matthew Lessall has made a solid name for himself,
chalking up an impressive list of casting accreditations,
memberships, titles and casting films that result in award
wins and official selections at the World’s most prestigious
film festivals.
He studied at DePauw University. Matthew’s casting
experience is diverse, casting major network series as well as having held the
position of Director of Feature Film Casting at 20th Century Fox and on the indie
front, as in-house casting consultant for the Fox Searchlab Writer/Director
Program.
Matthew's credits include Sundance Film Festival standouts, Rocket Science,
Mean Creek, as well as the NetFlix Find Your Voice winner Almost Kings. In
2011, he chose to join the tech revolution and became go-to casting for Warner
Premiere; Warner Bros. new media arm, casting the mega-successful web
series, Mortal Kombat, follow up Mortal Kombat 2 and season 2 of Wonderland
Sound & Vision’s Aim High. His Bait 3D (a/k/a “Shark”), garnered an Official
Entry at the 2012 Venice Film Festival and this same year also saw him with two
films at the inaugural edition of Paris’ Champ d’Elysees Film Festival, including
the Liam Neeson starrer After Life.
After University, Matthew then lived for several years in London, before making
Los Angeles his home. His dual nationality (USA/UK) affords him the broad
vision imperative to cast in today’s global market. He has cast productions and
co-productions for Canada, Germany, Holland, Italy and Mexico. Matthew is a
member of BAFTA and a board member of the Casting Society of America. He is
currently based in Los Angeles.
Sandra Valde-Hansen, Cinematographer / Associate Producer
Sandra shot indie guru, Gregg Araki’s feature Kaboom that
was an official selection at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival,
2011 Sundance Film Festival and released in 40 cities
around the US under IFC. Sandra’s narrative work has been
seen in festivals spanning across the world from SXSW to
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Cannes. Her critically noted films Fly Away, Acts of Mercy, and Christmas in
Compton are in release via VOD.
She recently finished shooting Araki's latest feature White Bird in a Blizzard,
starring Shailene Woodley, Eva Green, Angela Bassett, Shiloh Fernandez.
Christopher Meloni..., a French-US co-production.
Sandra continues to shoot powerful stories in the realm of independent social
and political narrative, as in Beyond Paradise, a drama cross-cultural love story
executive produced by Gill Holland (Sweetland, Hurricane Streets, FLOW: For
Love of Water, Spring Forward, Loggerheads…), and directed by J.J. Alani
(David & Layla.)
Sandra is also on the faculty for the American Film Institute Cinematography
Department.
Sandra shot the last season of the very popular MUN 2 Reality show, The Chicas
Project, which brought Sandra across the country. Her camera has allowed her
to be part of the political and socially conscience filmmaking of the "Brave New
Films. " She is looking forward to seeing her work in the Spring launch of Street
Knowledge 2 College launched by PBS.org.
She has been able to travel the world shooting in such locations as Paris for the
relaunched MTV House of Style and Mexico for PBS Voices “Tales of the
Masked Men” co-produced by Latino Public Broadcast and ITVS. Some of her
other clients include Al Jazeera America, USC, MAX Films, TED, and
Mastercard.
Sandra got her start in documentary, working for an Emmy-award winning
documentary cameraman, Tony Foresta, who taught her beauty of the image is
found in simplicity.
After seven years as a camera assistant and operator, Sandra Valde decided it
was time to pursue a full-time career as a cinematographer. She applied to the
prestigious American Film Institute and was accepted into their MFA program in
Cinematography.
While at AFI, Sandra honed her craft in the art of visual storytelling, learning from
the master cinematographers and deepening her knowledge of light and
composition. She has had the invaluable opportunity to mentor under Stephen
Lighthill, ASC, Steven Poster, ASC, Larry Parker, and Alan Caso, ASC.
Since graduating from AFI, Sandra has been able to take her passion of
cinematography throughout all mediums of storytelling.
25
Jennifer Nash, Music Supervisor / Music Editor / Associate Producer
Jennifer Nash's first project was The Rich Man’s Wife
starring Halle Berry on which she was the assistant to music
editor Abbey Treeloggen. She soon moved into music editing
on major motion pictures including ANTZ, Lords Of Dogtown,
Pearl Harbor, In The Valley Of Elah, R.E.D, and The Perks
Of Being A Wallflower.
She began her musical journey at age 12, quickly becoming
more and more entranced by playing the piano and singing. As a teen she
developed an interest in how film scores can cast a spell over an audience and
decided to pursue a career in film music. She moved to Los Angeles, initially
working as a post-production mix tech before taking on the world of film music as
a Music Editor.
Beyond Paradise has given Jennifer a unique opportunity to expand her skills as
Music Supervisor as the film features on-camera musical performances which
required her guidance during pre-production, production, and post production.
It also introduced Jennifer to the classical music and poetry of Persia. She
worked closely with the director to combine European and Iranian classical music
to help tell this complex, cross-cultural love story.
She worked with the director to select music for the characters to perform and
dance to; as well as commission original material for the lead character Shahrzad
(a songwriter/pianist like Jennifer herself) to sing and play on screen. She
supervised the technical aspects of on-set musical performances and continued
into post-production to select, record, edit, and pre-mix music for the edited
footage.
In another close collaboration with the director to meet pressing deadlines, she
designed and edited the music score for the movie's 2-min. Trailer and the 30sec. TV Spot Promo.
She has also written and produced two albums of original music as well as
performing and touring with her band. Given such a diverse career over the last
18 years, Jennifer naturally gravitated towards Music Supervision and began
supervising independent films, including American Violet and Crusade in Jeans.
Both films gave Jennifer an opportunity to create original music with her
husband, composer and music educator Dan Ostermann.
Executive produced by Gill Holland (Sweetland, Hurricane Streets, FLOW: For
Love of Water, Spring Forward, Loggerheads…), and directed by J.J. Alani
(David & Layla), Beyond Paradise is Jennifer’s first credit as Associate Producer.
26
Mark Kilian, Music Composer
South African born Mark Kilian has had a successful and
eclectic film scoring career since moving to Los Angeles in
1994. He is most known for his ethnic flavored scores like
the Oscar winning Tsotsi, Traitor and Rendition.
His most recent scores include Pitch Perfect, Bless Me,
Ultima, John Carpenter’s The Ward and HBO’s 41, a
portrait of George H.W. Bush.
His TV series work includes Don’t Trust The B--- in Apartment 23, Body of Proof
and Daybreak.
He has also written music for many TV commercials for Apple, Toyota,
Budweiser and American Express. He has 3 albums out under the name ‘The
Gravy Street’ which has received airplay in Los Angeles.
J.J. Alani, Production Designer / Art Director / Music Consultant / Line
Producer / Post Production Supervisor
See above bio of the writer, producer and director J. J.
Alani, or click the Director's Bio.
Phillip J. Bartell, Editor
Phillip J. Bartell edited the 2010 Sundance Award winner
Undertow (Contracorriente.)
He edited such critically acclaimed films as Robert Cary’s
Ira & Abby and Save Me, Q. Allan Brocka’s Boy Culture,
Patrik Ian Polk’s TV series Noah’s Arc, and Tribeca Film
Festival
winner,
Spork.
His edited documentary I Am Divine recently premiered at
South By Southwest, and feature film G.B.F. premiered at this year's Tribeca
Film Fest.
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Phillip has worked with many established directors, serving as additional editor
on Curtis Hanson’s In Her Shoes, Bill Paxton’s The Greatest Game Ever Played,
and the Russo Brothers’ Steven Soderbergh and George Clooney produced,
Welcome to Collinwood.
He has worked in editorial departments on films by Spike Jonze, Gus Van Sant,
Robert Altman, Sean Penn, Diane Keaton, Vadim Perelman, and Adam
Shankman.
Neguine Sanani, Editor
Neguine holds a B.F.A. from the USC Film and Television
department in Filmic Writing, and an M.F.A. from AFI in
Directing. As a director, she preferred to write with the
camera, sculpting the story both as she filmed, and in the
edit room. This talent led her to editing.
Early on in her career as an editor, she worked with
directors Tamra Davis and George Huang through the IFP
program Project Involve, and soon after contributed to the editing of several
Lionsgate productions.
Neguine edited the IMAX film Hurricane on the Bayou, which documents the
disastrous aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Other feature film work includes The
Grey, which won the American Jury Prize at the Santa Barbara Film Festival; and
Flip the Script and Love and Other 4-Letter Words, both of which premiered on
the B.E.T. Network.
Her film, Bloodworth, starring Kris Kristofferson, who wrote an original song for
the film, had its theatrical release May of 2011. Her latest film, The Ghost and the
Whale, directed by Anthony and James Gaudioso will hit the festival circuit in
2014.
Crew + Companies
For the names of the entire crew, companies and vendors of this movie's preproduction, production and post-production, please click IMDbPro (Internet Movie
Database Pro.)
Non-subscribes to IMDbPro: for the crew list, please click IMDb-c, and for the
companies and vendors list, click IMDb-v.
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Poems
Rumi and Lorca's poetry in BEYOND PARADISE in sequence
“When nothing existed, Love existed; and
when nothing shall remain, Love shall remain;
It is the first and the last.”
- Princess Shéhérazade, One Thousand and One Nights.
Ancient Persian collection of tales “Hazar Afsan.”
Rumi
Rumi was a poet, a philosopher and a Sufi mystic. His spiritual and love poems
transcends all boundaries, races, religions and genders. His poetry and prose
are translated in all major languages of the world. In 2007, he was described as
the "most popular poet in America."
Rumi wrote poems extolling the ecstasy of romantic and sensual love about 300
years before Shakespeare. Rumi wrote:
"The lover’s cause is separate from all other causes
Love is the astrolabe of God's mysteries."
and this:
"One day you will take my heart completely
and make it more fiery than a dragon
Your eyelashes will write on my heart the poem
that could never come from the pen of a poet."
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"A scholar does not understand what a drunk is feeling!
Don't try to guess or figure out what
Lovers drunk with love might do next."
Rumi's spiritual, philosophical and mystic oeuvre is considered by many as the
Persian ‘Holy Book.’
Locra
Lorca was a passionate Spanish poet, dramatist and theatre director (‘Blood
Wedding’, ‘Yerma’, etc.) He felt a deeper affinity for theatre and music than
literature, training fully as a classical pianist, his first artistic inspirations arising
from the scores of Debussy, Chopin and Beethoven.
Considered a dangerous, outspoken liberal, Lorca was gay and a close friend of
liberal thinkers and artists such as master filmmaker Luis Buñuel who fled to
Paris. Lorca was only 38 years old when he was kidnapped and executed,
probably by the dictator Franco’s Nationalist forces during the Spanish Civil War.
His remains were never found.
This poem is recited in Farsi at the wedding off screen by actress and singer
Fereshiteh Dehghani.
“They say that paradise is in high heaven
Where angels and elixirs await.
Let’s now enjoy wine and love
In sweet anticipation of our destiny.”
- Rumi, 13th C. Persian poet.
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Shahrzad sings this Rumi song in Farsi as she plays the piano for Elana, hoping
she would become her piano teacher.
“Advice does not help Lovers!
They are not a mountain stream
you could stop by building a dam across.
A scholar does not understand what a drunk is feeling!
Don’t try to guess or figure out what Lovers drunk with love might do next.”
- Rumi, 13th C. Persian poet.
On the beach, Shahrzad leaves Sebastian saying “I must go back…” Sebastian
manages to pull her back by surprising her with this poem:
Sebastian
“In your eyes I see the heavens.
In the heavens I see your eyes.”
- Rumi, 13th C. Persian poet.
Sebastian picks up a seashell from the sand and hands it to Shahrzad, saying
listen to this. Shahrzad holds the sea shell to her ear. Holding an English
translation of Rumi's poetry in his hand, Sebastian locks eyes with Shahrzad and
earnestly recites this line:
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Sebastian
"After you (are gone), let dust cover this world."
- Rumi, 13th C. Persian poet.
Sebastian throws his nicest bird Kite “Parakita” into Shahrzad’s rose garden.
Shahrzad goes to the Parakita, stuck in the rose bushes. Making cooing sounds,
she retrieves Parakita and hands her to Sebastian, their hands tenderly touch.
They whisper, trying not to be heard by Parisa, the mother-in-law:
SHAHRZAD
You must train her (the bird kite) to behave.
SEBASTIAN (playfully)
“When Love steals into your alley,
he has no choice.
He longs to kiss every lock of your hair,
he has no choice...”
She picks a Rose and hands it to Sebastian as a gift to give to Elana, her piano
teacher who's his boss. Shahrzad leaves him. He blocks her way, by holding the
red rose in front of her. He whispers:
32
SEBASTIAN
“You are the Rose. I’m the Thorn.
Don’t show your beauty without me.”
- Rumi, 13th C. Persian poet
By the ocean waves, Sebastian recites this poem in Spanish to Shahrzad as he
teaches her how to fly a kite, which happens to be in green color.
“Verde que te quiero verde.”
“Green, how I love you green.”
- Federico García Lorca, Spanish poet 1898 –1936
Sebastian secretly throws a Red Paper Plane to Shahrzad who’s as usual
reading her Rumi’s book in the garden. Shahrzad quickly picks up the kite, and
hides it from her approaching husband Sean. Later at night, she secretly reads
what’s written inside the rose-red plane. She smiles and whispers to herself
“Rumi!”
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“I slept well last night,
But I woke up drunk.
I must have dreamt about you.”
- Rumi, 13th C. Persian poet
On stage, Shahrzad’s husband Sean is performing his biggest Stand Up Comedy
show. His young brother Ray plays his guitar wildly. Shahrzad laughs with the
audience- all loving Sean’s sexy dancing to the rhythm of Ray’s guitar. Her
iPhone vibrates. She reads:
“Like the shadow of a rose,
I must live close to the Rose.
If I were separated from You,
I would turn entirely to Thorn.”
- Rumi, 13th C. Persian poet.
Sebastian intercepts Shahrzad in the hallway of the Theater where her husband
is performing the largest Standup Comedy of his career. Shahrzad anxiously
whispers: “I thought you were joking!” Sebastian playfully replies:
“O Rose, the Thorn has no choice.”
- Rumi, 13th C. Persian poet.
Believing Sebastian is leaving her for good, Shahrzad sadly sings in Farsi this
song solo at her piano, accompanied by the sweet chirping of her two red birds in
a cage by her piano.
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“Ruler of my Heart,
Wherever you go,
Don’t go without me.”
- Rumi, 13th C. Persian poet
Towards the end of this tragic, cross-cultural love story, Shahrzad sings this
Rumi song in Farsi to herself on her way to drown herself in the ocean.
“In the slaughterhouse of Love,
they only kill the best, not the weak.
Don’t run away from such dying.
Whoever is not killed for Love is dead meat.”
- Rumi, 13th C. Persian poet
At sunset, after Sebastian saves her from drowning herself to death, Shahrzad
and Sebastian sit by the ocean waves. As her dress is drying in the breeze in the
background, she reads these two poems to Sebastian, from Lorca’s book of
poems that he had gifted to her.
“Green wind. Green branches.
She dreams on her balcony,
35
with eyes of cold silver.
Green, how I love you green.”
Federico García Lorca, Spanish poet 1898 –1936
“The Rose was not looking for wisdom,
or for shadow: the edge of flesh and dreaming...”
Federico García Lorca, Spanish poet 1898 –1936
Ending spiritual poem “Cycle of Life” is sang by the Actress/Singer Fereshteh
Dehghani.
“I died as a mineral, I grew as a plant
I died as a plant, I arose as an animal
I died as an animal, I returned as a human
Why should I fear? When was I less by dying?
When I die as a human, I shall fly with the angels
When I leave my angel-soul, I soar higher
I shall reach the ecstasy of the Divine
All shall perish, except the Divine.
- Rumi, 13th C. Persian poet.
*****
BeyondParadiseMovie.com
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