Documentary Feature Film

Stephen Noorshargh of G22 Studios directed “Listen to Britain”, a beautiful documentary film about people who immigrate to Great Britain. Stephen writes that some of the images will only be understood by British people, as they evoke memories of crucial–and very difficult–events in Britain. But, with so many people moving around the globe for many reasons, the themes about muticulturalism, assimilation, social activism and racial bigotry are universal.

I composed the music soundtrack in a “world music” style. Using instruments from around the world, the music evokes the cultures of the countries from which the immigrants come. I had a lot of fun scoring this film, because of the diversity of images, cultures, and the long gaps between dialog–perfect for creating evocative music!

It must be said, that composing a music score for a film like this is truly a collaborative effort. Stephen and I had many discussions about the themes in the film, about the music, about the moods and the placement of the music in the film. There were many revisions; after all, “talking about music” is difficult, and my goal is always to elevate the director’s vision.

The film was premiered at the UK Asian Film Festival. Stephen writes that the premiere “… went beautifully and we received very positive responses from our audience especially towards your breath-taking soundtrack. Having watched the documentary so many times, I am simply in awe of what you were able to achieve in such a short amount of time.” 

Enjoy!