HFF 2015 Interview: Song of Lahore Director/Producer Andy Shocken

Song of Lahore follows Sachal Studios musicians from their hometown in Pakistan to New York City as they rehearse and take the stage for a truly moving concert performance with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, after receiving a personal invitation to perform from Wynton Marsailis. Song of Lahore is a 2015 Heartland Film Festival Official Selection, Documentary Feature.

We spoke with Director/Producer Andy Shocken about his film:

HF: What is your film about, and how did the project come to be?

AS: Song of Lahore is about a group of Pakistani classical musicians who have fallen on hard times with the loss of support for art and music in the country today. When they put out an unexpected jazz album, it becomes a hit online, and is heard by Wynton Marsalis. Wynton invites them to perform with him in New York at Jazz at Lincoln Center, and Song of Lahore follows the musicians on this unlikely journey.

My Karachi-based partner Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy began making the film on her own a year before I got involved. When she went looking for a partner, I received a call from her out of the blue, and a couple weeks later I was on a flight to Pakistan.

HF: What was your role in the production?

AS: Sharmeen and I are both producer/directors.

HF: Why did you submit to the Heartland Film Festival? Have you been to the Festival before?

AS: We’ve heard great things about Heartland, both in terms of artistic standards, but also in how they build a community of filmmakers. Making films is a long, tough process, and it’s important to be rewarded with experiences like this, where you can screen your film with a supportive group of filmmakers and local film lovers.

HF: This year’s tagline is “Movies That Stay with You” – what lasting effect will your film have on moviegoers?

AS: For Western audiences, it’s important to us that we provide a more nuanced portrayal of Pakistani people than they see in the news media. This is a film about people, not politics. And for Pakistani audiences, we hope to build support for the musical heritage that is being lost, and emphasize its historic ties to regional Muslim traditions.

HF: What has inspired you to become a filmmaker?

AS: My initial interest in documentaries arose after screening Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky’s “Brother’s Keeper,” and Alan Berliner’s “Intimate Stranger.” But once I embarked on the filmmaking process, I was quickly captivated by the scope of experiences and adventures available to me in the field, and the diverse range of people that I had the opportunity to spend time with, and whose stories I had the privilege of telling.

HF: What is something that you know about filmmaking now, but you weren’t told when you started your career?

AS: It’s highly unlikely that you’ll be able to earn a living solely by producing/directing independent documentaries. There are very few people who do so. So it’s important to be able to support yourself throughout the process- I do so with freelance producing/directing/cinematography work.

HF: What are some of your favorite movies? What’s your favorite worst movie (you know it’s bad, but still love)?

AS: Favorite movies: any of Les Blank’s films. Favorite worst movie: Friday.

HF: How many film festivals has your film been a part of? What do you like the most about the festival experience?

AS: Six so far. The journey of our film builds to a climactic concert scene with the Pakistani musicians performing at Jazz at Lincoln Center. At a number of screenings I’ve attended, the audience has been so into the music and the story, that they’ve actually cheered for the solos as if they were attending a live show. It’s a rare thing to witness at a film screening, and a great feeling as a filmmaker.