AlArabiya, the largest and most respected Middle Eastern news outlet, has given a huge boost to the social media efforts of a group of New York Film Academy students who have teamed up to create the thought-provoking web series, Sargo. Within one week of airing on YouTube, the series trailer reached over 100,000 views and interest continues to grow.
Filmmaker Aymen Khoja (May ’14 MFA Feature Track Filmmaker) has written and directed the web series about a young Saudi guy who is kidnapped by two dim but dangerous men. The audience must ponder: ‘Will he be able to find his way to freedom or arrive home in a box?’
The series tackles relevant topics such as U.S. and Arab racial bias and racial profiling.
Khoja, in development at NYFA for his first feature film, Shoot, has assembled a team of currently enrolled NYFA students for the series. Working both behind the scenes and in front of the camera, NYFA students are:
- Creator, writer/director AYMEN KHOJA (May ’14 MFA Feature Track Filmmaking)
- Producers MUHAMMAD ALAWI (Fall ’15 BFA Producing) and ALMOTAZ ALJEFRI (January ’13 BFA Filmmaking)
- Actors MAAN BIN ABDULRAHMAN (January ’13 BFA Filmmaking) and JUSTIN LIGHTFOOT (May ’14 BFA Acting)
- Social media TALHA BIN ABDULRAHMAN (September ’13 BFA Filmmaking)
The AlArabiya interview can be viewed below:
Congratulations, NYFA students on your outstanding collaborative effort!