Ringing In The New Year

As 2007 comes to a close, I want to wish you all a happy and prosperous New Year. I also want to take this opportunity to thank a few people who went out of their way for me. I want to thank the following from the bottom of my heart and with all sincerity for all their help in 2007:

Wolfgang Boeck, Paz de la Calzada, BeBe Sweetbriar, Teddy Witherington, Dirk Burns at Frantix, Tim Gullicksen, Mikal Shively, Philip Rossetti and Claire Dee-Lim.

Please take a few minutes to read this Newsletter, which provides information about the following :

*BETWEEN PLACES - RE-EDITED AND RE-PACKAGED
*DRAG: NOT JUST MEN IN HEELS
*EVE PREMIERE
*INTERVIEW WITH BONNIE STEIGER
*HELP NEEDED FOR UNDER ONE SUN (2009)
*XAVIER TOSCANO MUSIC VIDEO



*BETWEEN PLACES - RE-EDITED AND RE-PACKAGED

Between Places, my very first movie, has been re-edited and is being re-packaged for sale in 2008. Between Places will also be available for "download to own" through Amazon. So if you don't want to wait for it be shipped to you, simply download it and watch it on your computer and or upload it to any video device. You can also join friends' of Between Places on www.myspace.com/between_places_movie. For more information, visit www.betweenplacesmovie.com.

*DRAG: NOT JUST MEN IN HEELS

My first documentary about San Francisco's Drag Culture, Drag: Not Just Men in Heels will be available for sale in Feb.2008. It recently screened at MIX Brasil Film Festival in Sao Paulo and Rio De Janeiro.
We will have a DVD release party on Feb.10 at BeBe Sweetbriar's Launch Party at the Jet (formerly known as Detour). For up to date information about Drag: Not Just Men in Heels please visit www.dragmovie.com or www.myspace.com/dragmovie.

*EVE PREMIERE

Eve, a feature on domestic violence, will have a world premiere in San Francisco at the Delancey Foundation in Spring 2008. Eve raises further awareness about domestic abuse and it's premiere will provide a fund raising opportunity to a local non-profit. So, I would strongly urge everyone to come out to support them and us at Eve's premiere (date TBA).
Join friends of Eve at www.myspace.com/evemovie

*INTERVIEW WITH BONNIE STEIGER

Recently I had the opportunity to talk about my movies on a local T.V. channel. Bonnie Steiger invited me to her show, and you can find out more about her at : http://www.bonniesteiger.com/moviecloseup.html

If you have time and want to amuse yourself, take a look at a few excerpts from the interview :
www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPNZeNSGA2s

Now remember, this is my first interview and I was extremely nervous, so be nice. LOL.


*HELP NEEDED FOR UNDER ONE SUN (2009)

In 2009, I am looking forward to shooting my third narrative feature and my fourth movie in four years. It is called Under One Sun and it will be released in 2009 (www.myspace.com/under1sun). Under One Sun introduces San Francisco's one of a kind, drag legend in the making, BeBe Sweetbriar to the big screen.

The story line of Under One Sun is based on the premise that peoples' innate goodness gets tainted by religion, culture, and sexuality. The movie will include some well known names from the drag and film communities in San Francisco.

We need your help and support to get this project off the ground. And knowing my track record, you can be certain that this movie will actually get made. We will begin a fund raising drive in Feb. 2008, and we would request that if you can or if you know of someone who would be interested, please help out. Besides providing entertainment, Aisha Media produces movies that raises awareness about social and political issues. Therefore, you will be contributing not just to an indie movie, but also a cause and a purpose.

*XAVIER TOSCANO MUSIC VIDEO

I had the opportunity to work with Xavier Toscano, who is a very talented singer, dancer, and actor. This was my first major music video production, but you can expect to see more music videos from Aisha Media in 2008. Watch Xavier's music video as well as listen to his music at www.myspace.com/xaviertoscano.

Once again, I wish you a happy and prosperous New Year.

Best Wishes,
Amir Jaffer
www.myspace.com/amirjaffer

Goodbye 2007, Goodbye Patricio !

As the year 2007 comes to a close and as we prepare to celebrate the dawn of a new year, I am saying goodbye to someone who I knew only for a while. But that someone had an enormous impact on me during the brief period that I knew him. Patrick "Patricio" Duran suddenly came in to my life as a mentor, a believer in me and what I do, and someone who introduced me to the works of legendary filmmakers such as Sergei Eisenstein, Akira Kurosawa, Rainer Werner Fassbinder and Aleksandr Sokurov. I don't think I will be boasting in making the claim of being one of the very few people in San Francisco/Bay Area who own an entire collection of Akira Kurosawa films. I am grateful to this mentor for giving me a direction as a filmmaker, to make substantial movies, regardless of the budget and the means available.

A veteran of the Vietnam War, Patrick "Patricio" Duran suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which left a permanent scar on his life. He was a truly generous man who went out of his way for others and expected no favors or anything in return. If he believed in someone, he would make it his cause to encourage and help that individual to be his or her best. I was one of the many such people, at his funeral, whose lives he had positively affected. It came as a shock to learn of his sudden demise at the beginning of this year, but before the year 2007 comes to a close, I wanted to say thank you to Patricio and promise that I won't let him down.

After making two low budget indie narrative features and one documentary, I promise to embark on a new journey, pushing and challenging myself to follow in the footsteps of the legendary filmmakers Patricio had envisioned. Starting 2008 till the day I die, I have some very BIG shoes to fill.
Goodbye 2007 and Goodbye Patricio !
Amir Jaffer