Khaled El Sheik Between Two Fires, Art And Politics, directed by Jamal Kutbi, was the first documentary to ever screen in the Gala Theatre at the Ritz-Carton Hotel at the 3rd Edition of the Red Sea Film Festival.
The documentary revolves around the iconic Khaliji singer Khaled Al-Sheikh. It recounts his entire life from the beginning of his career until the present day by narrating the ups and downs of his career. The documentary highlights how El Sheik left politics and escaped to the art world finding himself entangled in the webs of both worlds. The documentary acts as a reminder of the political standing of production companies.
The film starts with El Sheik as a political science student in Kuwait, to a student at the Conservatory in Egypt, to his name shining across the Arab world, to losing his fame after a couple of incidents. Through these incidents, the audience learns the reasons for his controversial decisions. The documentary also sheds light on people who walked alongside El Sheik’s artistic journey.
El Sheik’s name is a synonym for breaking all the norms of the music industry. He introduced new musical styles that enchanted his fans and yet divided his fans. He would divide his cassette taps into two sides, each has its own conclusive style. The first side would include the classical Khaliji sound, and the other contains sounds influenced by his personal favorite sounds, such as Jazz and Blues.
The Style of the Documentary
The documentary cleverly mixes interviews, archives, and animation. The interviews of El Sheik allowed the viewers to build a personal connection with the singer. It gave an insightful look into the reasons for his decisions when confronted by his controversy. Also, they interviewed his loved ones and colleagues and put a spotlight on the different roles El Sheik plays like father, composer, musician, and so many more. The archives used in the film gave the younger audiences an accurate depiction of the political environment, while the older generation was filled with nostalgia. The animation gave a lighthearted tone to the film.
Khaled El Sheik Between Two Fires, Art And Politics is a fun and insightful documentary that offers a unique introspective look into the Khaliji art world.