Documentaries “11/9” And “Voice Of Syria” Are Set To Make Waves In The World Of Documentary Filmmaking This Year.
Filmmakers Carla Ortiz and Shari O’Donnell are on track for their documentary Oscar submission ‘Voice of Syria’ which is set to go head to head with filmmaker Michael Moore’s 11/9. Ortiz and O’Donnell have been dubbed the ‘Daring Duo’ after the documentary was shot on the ground in Syria during the height of conflict. The documentary is set to expose major propaganda and debunk major lies such as fake news, while educating audiences about the real political back drop. While brave news-crews and filmmakers generally accessed rebel areas in Syria, Ortiz was one of the only filmmakers who was given access to both rebel and government areas the last 12 months. Ortiz says her documentary gives voice to the 18 million Syrian’s inside the country. As a result of the 6 year war over a half a million Syrians have died and 6 million have had to flee their homes, making it one of the largest refugee crisis in history.
Distributors at Cannes Film Festival have been commenting on how “Voice of Syria” and “11/9” are set to go head to head at next year’s Oscars. According to Variety the Weinstein Company has secured the worldwide rights and is seeking its distributors at Cannes Film Festival for “11/9” – the title referring to the day Trump was declared President of the United States on Nov. 9. “No matter what you throw at him, it hasn’t worked,” says Moore.
“No matter what is revealed, he remains standing. Facts, reality, brains cannot defeat him. Even when he commits a self-inflicted wound, he gets up the next morning and keeps going and tweeting. That all ends with this movie.” The Weinstein brothers previously released Moore’s “Fahrenheit 9/11” in 2004 which achieved more that $200 million in worldwide grosses.
Harvey Weinstein with Michael Moore at Cannes -
Mandatory Credit: Photo by ALEX BERLINER/BEI/BEI/Shutterstock (455552w)
Harvey Weinstein and Michael Moore
'FAHRENHEIT 9/11' FILM PREMIERE, LOS ANGELES, AMERICA - 08 JUN 2004
Ortiz conducted interviews with CNN and Fox News during intervals of filming but like Mr. Moore, gave nothing away about the lies and propaganda her documentary is set to uncover. She goes on to say ‘Syrians express some interesting revelations on ‘The White Helmets’ which is set to raise eyebrows given that an Oscar was given on the subject this year
Hollywood Producers told Ortiz, her documentary was impossible to make. She has since returned to Los Angeles where she is with Producer Shari O’Donnell. O’Donnell is a filmmaker from Ireland who is known as seasoned studio executive and filmmaker in the independent film world.
O’Donnell says that ‘ Voice of Syria’ has been one of the most intense and daring projects of her career due to the dangers and extreme survival situations Ortiz was exposed to. "It is very frightening to learn that Carla went there to make a story about how this war was effecting Syrians and found that their voices were not being heard”.
Voice of Syria is currently in post-production while 11/9 is filming “under a strict cloak of secrecy”.