S O F I A D E F A Y
S O F I A D E F A Y
Sofia de Fay
Film Director
2018 Film Collection
So the darkness shall be the light
And the lightness the dancing.
T.S ELIOT
REACH FOR THE STARS
National Geographic Channel
Winner: Best Factual Entertainment of the year TV.
2019: ASBU BroadcastPro 2019 Awards
Every day at Cleveland Clinic.
A film to inspire and touch hearts
Living with Cancer
Pura Pharma: Oncozac
A TVC giving hope and courage to those fighting a terminal disease
MARS - THE JOURNEY
The Story of a Nation sending their first satellite, Hope to the Red Planet
MASQUERADING
To Hell and Back
Winner of Grand Jury Prize for Best Short Film: Face a Face Festival. Awarded Best Foreign Film and Cinematography at the Hollywood International Independent Documentary Awards 2018.
Encounters Documentary Film Festival: 2nd Prize
Official Selection for 18 Film Festivals.
A funny, brutal, heart-wrenching and breathtakingly beautiful story.
A bittersweet ode to friendship, forged in the fires of rejection, of discriminatory laws and imprisonment; a story of hardship and success, determination and survival, of competitiveness and loyalty; of pathos and humour. It is the story of two elderly drag-queens.
REVIEW BY KIERSTON DRIER (Toronto news): “What is truly inspirational about this film, despite its excellent music and beautiful photography is the performances of Samantha Fox and Sandra Dee.A touching film and a joy to watch. It is heart-wrenching, engaging and beautiful. Many glasses are raised to these two beautiful ladies, and a bravo to director Sofia de Fay”
EYES WIDE OPEN
WINNER: GOLD: Cannes Corporate Media and TV awards 2018
WINNER OF THE GOLD AWARD AT THE NY Festivals.
A trusting wine farmer is forced to face up to a web of sinister relationships that threaten to undermine the future of his farm. A potential investor persuades him to investigate the chain of command between himself and his laborers.
SONIC
A film about Abu Dhabi Ports Group signature sounds
Emirati Women's Day
A young, ambitious woman working at Abu Dhabi Ports Group talks about her bold vision, her dreams, and the most significant influence and inspiration in her life: her father.
Winner: STEVIE AWARDS
ROAD OF DEATH
2011. A famine and deadly drought sweeps through Somalia and millions die. A courageous young woman defies the odds and tries to save her children.
FOOTPRINTS IN THE SNOW
Bosnia, Tusla. A place where hope is buried deep in the snow.
A tribute to a battle courageously fought in a town ill-equipped to deal with 19-year-old Bassim-Hassanovich diagnosed with acute lymphatic leukemia. In the aftermath of a crippling war, Tusal, Bosnia can offer little help to the young man.
T I D E
of
G R I E F
In the midst of a sea of immeasurable pain, a miracle emerges.
In 2004, a giant killer-wave strikes a small village on India’s west coast robbing Karibeen and his wife of all they hold dear. Overwhelmed by grief they no longer want to live and they plan to end the pain and torment. Something wonderful happens.
A miracle changes the course of destiny.
H E A V E N S
H E R D S
The story of Nguni Cattle.
The story of the Nguni people.
PASSAGE OF COURAGE
They faced death, but they did not give in to fear.
4 Patients survive a death sentence. Diagnosed with an incurable disease, four people face the prospect of painful deaths knowing only a miracle can save them. Four incredible stories thread an interwoven testimony of remarkable courage, tenacity, and faith. They fight for their lives and win.
ECHOES
To see. To hear. To feel. To care. To move our hearts.
RELEASED
His memories were a prison.
Revenge is the only release.
Sofia de Fay
Has worked in over 57 countries and won over a hundred awards.
Her diverse films have been "officially selected" for 21 festivals.
Wander & Wonder
Be curious. Be brave
STRIVE TO BE MOVED. BE SHAKEN. BE BRAVE
CHALLENGE. EMBRACE. ENCOUNTER
THE EPIC. THE SACRED. THE MYSTERIOUS
INSPIRATION
"It is a subtle dance between nuance and narrative, choice and chance"
Be fearless, curious and spontaneous. Acknowledge nuance. Life is complex. Think critically. Paint portraits in shades of grey - nothing is simple or black and white. Capture ephemeral moments and cobble them together (critically) There is spontaneity, but there needs to be rigid structure. Listen. Don't rush. Search for emotional realism. Play with crisply scripted words. Look for that perfect frame. Create sumptuous textures. Polish, warm and color wash. Learn, learn learn. Be enthusiastic. Be humble. Take pride. Be hard on your opinions. Create deep emotions. Sustain emotions. Define yourself by what you love. Wander and wonder. Be awake. Be alive.
Sofia is a freelance writer and director, who strives to be a masterful storyteller both perceptive in human behavior and forceful in emotional impact. She has worked in North America, Europe, Africa, China, India, and the Middle East. Whether it is covering a story in a war zone or executing a sophisticated lifestyle commercial, Sofia immerses herself and addresses issues in a deeply sensitive and compelling way. Not afraid to push boundaries, she is able to create films that are and which remain in our memories for a long time.
HISTORY
An intuitive creative thinker, journalist, writer and director ...
A SHORT BIO
Sofia attributes her empathetic approach and distinctive and flexible expertise to an unorthodox childhood. A bold, restless streak and insane curiosity have propelled her across the globe walking the road less traveled. Her insight and prophetic sensitivity, and deep reverence of history, politics, culture, and all things beautiful have given her a unique voice. She began her career in the ill-equipped blood-stained corridors of a government hospital, where she wrote her first gung-ho journalism piece. Shortly after that, she flirted with a career in copywriting in ad-land, and this evolved into scriptwriting, including a stint on a big soap opera, writing a hit comedy series, and an award-winning wildlife series for Discovery and National Geographic. As a writer and film director, she has immersed herself in the jungles of Gabon following the lives of pygmies, shaking through an earthquake in Nepal as she shaped one man’s story of survival, following prostitutes through ganglands, working in Iraq in a Christian refugee camp as Isis rampaged and then followed the shimmering skyscrapers of Hong Kong and Dubai. Fearless, daring, and enthusiastic, Sofia pens powerful prose under fire. Yet, she can also shift quickly, bask in the comfort of luxurious fashion houses, and savor the delights of iconic brands creating lush content with over-powering imagery. Her work remains thrilling, seductive, and powerfully emotional. Forgiving and bold, fearless, and willing to explore the depths of human emotion and the heights of human achievement, she recently completed a project sending a satellite to Mars and a rover to the Moon. She also loves wild jasmine and the sound of a chorus of frogs.
Abu Dhabi Ports
Woman's Day
Winner of STEVIE Awards.
.
Title We are ready
EXPO
sonic
AD Ports Group
.
Chef Vineet prepares high tea at the Kempinski Hotel
Title Chef Vineet's invitation
The masterchef prepares a memorable treat.
Upholding British customs, Chef Vineet pulls out all the stops.
A BREATH AWAY
Commercial
When a motorbike narrowly misses crashing into a student an observant architect rushes to her rescue. He snatches her from harm’s way. A window is unlocked in their hearts as their eyes latch. Time is suspended in a moment of intimacy unleashing fantasies which run to a perfect consummation. Unfortunately, this moment is interrupted. Moving apart unsettled, unsure, step-by-slow-step they seal destinies in a fading dream; each left to bear an indelible “What if?”
BASF
Clean Air Campaign
Commercial
A short, off-beat and quirky TVC film promoting clean air catalysts. The film went viral.
ANTICIPATION
Commercial: film for the Burj Al Arab
A mysterious man arrives at the Burj and prepares the stage for love.
TEDX
A promo
TEDX comes to Abu Dhabi and they need the world to know. A short promotional film needs to establish the philosophy of TEDX showing how it is at the cutting edge of science, engineering, relentlessly pioneering new thinking, ideas, artistic endeavors and more importantly they need to show where they are going to be. Abu Dhabi. A city that is growing, flourishing, mushrooming and pioneering every day.
UBU
A brilliant way to uplift the poor and give hope to a township
A new way to trade for the poor.
BENEATH THE SURFACE
Silver Winner at Cannes Corporate Media and TV Awards 2018
A conference opening film to set the tone and feel and to warn farmers that something sinister is going on.
REACH FOR THE STARS: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
Episode 2 Promo
The UAE's first space program. The first Emirati astronaut prepares for his take-off and life on the ISS.
SCRIPTDOOR:
PROMOTIONAL
During Lockdown I was privileged to work on an amazing new innovative media platform. Thank you to the incredible Jamilyn. We did also sorts of media projects for her website. This was one of them.
Mars - the Journey continues
Promo
Horse and wind
Promo
The spirit of the National Museum of Qatar is captured.
What If?
A film about hardship and solutions
.
Etisalat Wide Web Autism App
Etisalat Autism Web app TVC
.
Etisalat Wide Web App Autism
Etisalat Wide Web Autism TVC:
2022: DUBAI LYNX AWARDS: Impact BBCO, Dubai - Gold Award: Consumer Services/Business to Business. Gold Award: Environmental and Social Impact. Gold Award: Corporate Purpose and Social Responsibility. Silver Award: Use of Technology. 2 Bronze Awards.
2021: ADSTARS Awards: Silver Award: National Brand: Bronze Award: Brand Experience. Bronze Award: Diverse Insights. Bronze Award: Med. Bronze Award: Crystal: interactive.
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Awards and Festivals
The last 2 years
Edmonton International Film Festival
Berlin Short Film Festival
LGBT Toronto Film Festival
COMMFEST: Global Community Film Festival
Shnit Worldwide Short Film Festival
Hollywood International Film Festival – Best Foreign Documentary short. Best cinematography short
Our City Film Project
Africa Film Festival Koln
Great Lakes International Film Festival
SAFTA Nomination
Cinequest
IDA Pare Lorentz Award
Durban Film Festival
African Academy Awards
2016 CANNES CORPORATE MEDIA AND TELEVISION AWARDS FESTIVAL
Category: Events and conference openers, Silver winner:
Title: Listen to the Wind
Category: Online Corporate film: Silver Winner: Passage of Courage
Short documentary: SHAKEN:
Official Selection:
Cinequest International Film Festival
2015 Global Awards nomination for a TVC for direction:
On the Shoulders of Giants.
2015 Cannes Corporate Media and Television Awards Festival
Gold Winner: Online Media Corporate Videos.
Silver Winner: Integrated Communication.
Silver winner: Science and Knowledge.
US International Film and Television Awards
GOLD CAMERA AWARD for Social Issues for Tide of Grief
SILVER AWARD for Best Documentary-Drama for Tide of Grief
SILVER AWARD for Direction for Tide of Grief
SILVER AWARD for Music for Tide of Grief
2015 New York Film International Film and Television Festival
GOLD WORLD MEDAL for Best Docudrama for Tide of Grief
GOLD WORLD MEDAL for Documentaries for Tide of Grief
BRONZE WORLD MEDAL for Human Concerns for Tide of Grief
SILVER WORLD MEDAL for Social Issues.
FINALIST CERTIFICATE for Corporate Responsibility
SILVER WORLD MEDAL for Cinematography for the New Frontiers
GOLD WORLD MEDAL for Cinematography for On the Shoulders of Giants
BRONZE WORLD MEDAL for Narration for On the Shoulders of Giants
SILVER WORLD MEDAL for Music for On the Shoulders of Giants
US International Film and Television Awards
“BEST OF FESTIVAL AWARD” for documentary productions for Road of Death.
GOLD CAMERA AWARD: Documentary Drama for Road of Death
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