Usama Alshaibi
Encyclopedia
Usama Alshaibi (born in Baghdad
, Iraq on November 20, 1969) is an Iraqi-American
independent
filmmaker and visual artist.
Starting in early 2004, Alshaibi worked on a documentary
on his homeland, and its current situation, titled Nice Bombs
. The documentary is Alshaibi's first official release and was produced
by Alshaibi's wife, fellow filmmaker Kristie Alshaibi, and executive produced by Studs Terkel
. The documentary was funded in part by the Creative Capital Foundation and the Playboy Foundation
. It premiered at the 2006 Chicago Underground Film Festival
where it won the Best Documentary Feature award and had Studs Terkel and Christie Hefner introduce the screening. Nice Bombs had a theatrical release in 2007, a broadcast premiere on the Sundance Channel in March 2008 and was released on DVD on October 2009.
Usama Alshaibi is interviewed in fellow Chicagoan Studs Terkel's
book Hope Dies Last.
Alshaibi is the director of two narrative feature length films, Profane and Muhammad and Jane, and more than fifty short films. He has also produced and directed numerous music video
s for a variety of musicians, including Mahjongg, Panicsville
and Bobby Conn
. Alshaibi was the founder and Director of the Z Film Festival
(2000–2005) and his short films have toured with author Jack Sargeant
's underground film
programs. Several of his short films, including The Amateurs, are available on the DVD Solar Anus Cinema.
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
, Iraq on November 20, 1969) is an Iraqi-American
Iraqi American
Iraqi Americans are Americans of Iraqi descent, including those who are expatriates in exile or permanent immigrants. The number of Iraqi Americans is around 140,000 according to the Arab American Institute....
independent
Independent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
filmmaker and visual artist.
Starting in early 2004, Alshaibi worked on a documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
on his homeland, and its current situation, titled Nice Bombs
Nice Bombs
Nice Bombs is a 2006 documentary directed by Iraqi-American filmmaker Usama Alshaibi about his return to his home country to visit his family after the 2003 invasion of Iraq...
. The documentary is Alshaibi's first official release and was produced
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
by Alshaibi's wife, fellow filmmaker Kristie Alshaibi, and executive produced by Studs Terkel
Studs Terkel
Louis "Studs" Terkel was an American author, historian, actor, and broadcaster. He received the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction in 1985 for The Good War, and is best remembered for his oral histories of common Americans, and for hosting a long-running radio show in Chicago.-Early...
. The documentary was funded in part by the Creative Capital Foundation and the Playboy Foundation
Playboy Foundation
The Playboy Foundation is a corporate-giving organization that provides grants to non-profit groups involved in fighting censorship and researching human sexuality. It gives grants and in-kind contributions, such as advertising space in the Playboy magazine to organizations concerned with US First...
. It premiered at the 2006 Chicago Underground Film Festival
Chicago Underground Film Festival
Chicago Underground Film Festival, founded in 1994, occurs each spring at various venues in Chicago, Illinois in the USA.Over the last 18 years it has become one of the most respected festivals in the USA and is today well attended by critics and programers. The festival's stated goal is "to focus...
where it won the Best Documentary Feature award and had Studs Terkel and Christie Hefner introduce the screening. Nice Bombs had a theatrical release in 2007, a broadcast premiere on the Sundance Channel in March 2008 and was released on DVD on October 2009.
Usama Alshaibi is interviewed in fellow Chicagoan Studs Terkel's
Studs Terkel
Louis "Studs" Terkel was an American author, historian, actor, and broadcaster. He received the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction in 1985 for The Good War, and is best remembered for his oral histories of common Americans, and for hosting a long-running radio show in Chicago.-Early...
book Hope Dies Last.
Alshaibi is the director of two narrative feature length films, Profane and Muhammad and Jane, and more than fifty short films. He has also produced and directed numerous music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
s for a variety of musicians, including Mahjongg, Panicsville
Panicsville
Panicsville is a Chicago noise music group founded in 1992 by Andy Ortmann with David Forquer and Ryan Kohler. It has become an ongoing project for Ortmann to work with other musicians. Early shows consisted of pelting the audience with items like dry ice, meat, blood and insects...
and Bobby Conn
Bobby Conn
Bobby Conn is an American musician based in Chicago, Illinois, known for his pop-rock. He often collaborates with other artists such as musicians Colby Starck and Jim O'Rourke, and film-maker Usama Alshaibi. In 2003, Conn produced a session for UK punk band The Cribs, whom he met when they were a...
. Alshaibi was the founder and Director of the Z Film Festival
Z Film Festival
The Z Film Festival is a microcinema media-showcase that was created by filmmaker Usama Alshaibi and launched on December 1, 2000 at the Heaven Gallery in Chicago. The following year, Kristie Alshaibi teamed up with Usama as director and programmer for the Z Film Festival...
(2000–2005) and his short films have toured with author Jack Sargeant
Jack Sargeant
Jack Sargeant is a writer specialising in cult film, underground film, and independent film, as well as subcultures, true crime, and other aspects of the unusual. In addition he is a film programmer and an academic...
's underground film
Underground film
An underground film is a film that is out of the mainstream either in its style, genre, or financing.-Definition and history:The first use of the term "underground film" occurs in a 1957 essay by American film critic Manny Farber, "Underground Films." Farber uses it to refer to the work of...
programs. Several of his short films, including The Amateurs, are available on the DVD Solar Anus Cinema.
Feature films
- Profane (2011)
- Nice BombsNice BombsNice Bombs is a 2006 documentary directed by Iraqi-American filmmaker Usama Alshaibi about his return to his home country to visit his family after the 2003 invasion of Iraq...
(2006) - Muhammad and Jane (2003)
Select Short films
- My Third Painting (2009)
- Spoiled (2008)
- Signal Cross Over (2007)
- Dream of Samarra (2007)
- Convulsion Expulsion (2004)
- The Amateurs (2003)
- Allahu Akbar (2003)
- Soak (2002)
- The Foreigner (2001)
- Dance Habibi Dance (1999)
Select Music videos
- Tell The Police The Truth by Mahjongg (2008)
- King for a Day by Bobby ConnBobby ConnBobby Conn is an American musician based in Chicago, Illinois, known for his pop-rock. He often collaborates with other artists such as musicians Colby Starck and Jim O'Rourke, and film-maker Usama Alshaibi. In 2003, Conn produced a session for UK punk band The Cribs, whom he met when they were a...
(2007) - Hold My Scissors by Magic is Küntmaster (2004)
- Stabbed in the Face by PanicsvillePanicsvillePanicsville is a Chicago noise music group founded in 1992 by Andy Ortmann with David Forquer and Ryan Kohler. It has become an ongoing project for Ortmann to work with other musicians. Early shows consisted of pelting the audience with items like dry ice, meat, blood and insects...
(2003) - Angels by Bobby ConnBobby ConnBobby Conn is an American musician based in Chicago, Illinois, known for his pop-rock. He often collaborates with other artists such as musicians Colby Starck and Jim O'Rourke, and film-maker Usama Alshaibi. In 2003, Conn produced a session for UK punk band The Cribs, whom he met when they were a...
(2002)
Accolades
| Year | Award | Category | Title | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Boston Underground Film Festival Boston Underground Film Festival The Boston Underground Film Festival is an annual event held in the Boston, Massachusetts area that specializes in alternative film and video. The Boston Underground Film Festival, also known as BUFF, is the largest underground film festival in New England, spotlighting short films and feature... |
Best of Festival | Profane | Won |
| 2010 | Sexy International Film Festival | Best International Feature Film, Best Director, Best Cinematography | Profane | Won |
| 2007 | Westchester Film Festival Westchester Film Festival The Westchester Film Festival is an annual film festival held in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is a non-profit organization. The festival features premieres and screenings of new, independent films... |
Best Documentary Film | Nice Bombs | Won |
| 2006 | Chicago Underground Film Festival Chicago Underground Film Festival Chicago Underground Film Festival, founded in 1994, occurs each spring at various venues in Chicago, Illinois in the USA.Over the last 18 years it has become one of the most respected festivals in the USA and is today well attended by critics and programers. The festival's stated goal is "to focus... |
Best Documentary Film | Nice Bombs | Won |
| 2006 | Chicago Underground Film Festival Chicago Underground Film Festival Chicago Underground Film Festival, founded in 1994, occurs each spring at various venues in Chicago, Illinois in the USA.Over the last 18 years it has become one of the most respected festivals in the USA and is today well attended by critics and programers. The festival's stated goal is "to focus... |
Made in Chicago Award | Nice Bombs Nice Bombs Nice Bombs is a 2006 documentary directed by Iraqi-American filmmaker Usama Alshaibi about his return to his home country to visit his family after the 2003 invasion of Iraq... |
Won |