Eme Nakia (SPARTA)

Vimeo Staff Pick

Short film to accompany the CD "Threes" by Sparta.

Eme Nakia is the title of a unique 16-​minute film that Tony Hajjar along with his band Sparta released as part of a special edition of their album, Threes. The word Eme means Mother in Arabic, and Nakia was the name of Tonys mother. The film tells the story of Hajjar's (Sparta's drummer) remarkable childhood. He was born in Beirut and at the age of 5, along with his family, fled his country during the Lebanese civil war of 1975-​1990. They immigrated to the United States, settling in the sprawling west Texas border town of El Paso. When Hajjar was fourteen his mother died after a bout with cancer and his father, who had been distant, left the family. His brother, only 18-​years old at the time, assumed responsibility for the family and raised Tony and his sister. In the film, we follow Hajjar's early life story, showing the various challenges he and his family endured and ending with him in the present-​day.

Here is the L.A. Times article on the film:

http://articles.latimes.com/2006/jul/30/entertainment/ca-fasttracks30

TRT: 15:27

Director: Christopher Holmes

Writer: Joe Renteria

Cinematography: Brandon Trost

Editor: Sarah Prinkey

Producer: Joe Renteria

Hollywood Records Best Buy Exclusive

(Released Oct. 06)

Official Selection

• Sundance Film Festival 2007

• Harlem International Film Festival 2006

• Los Angeles International Short Film Festival 2006

• Elevated Music & Film Festival 2006

Short Run Theatrical Release (Pasadena Playhouse) November 2006