An exemplary man: a documentary based on the life and thoughts of Dr. Mohamed Aden Sheikh

The project has obtained a contribution from the film commission and also patronized by the Turin municipality. The modern history of Somalia through the life and political career of Mohamed Aden Sheikh. son of nomad camel driver, later surgical doctor specialized in Italy, a minister in the somali government and author of some important modernization campaign in Somalia during the 70's;mass education ,writing of the somali language, campaigns aimed at hygiene education in rural areas. Dissent to the regime of Siad Barre and political prisoner, mohamed Aden became a refugee in Italy and Turin town counselor at the end of the 90's. A year before his death, while in Turin the initiative to build a hospital in his name had just began, Mohamed relives in a poetic and personal documentary, that seeks to reorganize the piece of the ideal important and ideal political heritage for his country, for the city of Turin and for the forgotten chapter in the memory of modern day history of Italy.

After two decades of civil war, Somalia is a failed state and the worst human crisis in the world .Famine, war, humanitarian emergence; this is the only image that 's comes to mind in the western world. What was Somalia like before the war? what was that somali miracle that became a model for many developing countries in the 70's ?what did those Italians believe in when they departed for the Horn of Africa(among which were my parents)?Mohamed 's book of memories and the interviews given in the course of life ,epic reports ,the memories of that season of hope and the rediscovery of unforeseen family ties: these are the elements in the documentary film on the forgotten memories of Somalia, whereby Mohamed Aden is the leading figure in an archive journey lasting forty years, that crosses with the memories of a generation that hoped for a different future for Africa.

Alberto Bougleux(born in Rome 1976)graduated in communication sciences at the university of bologna in 2002 and furthered in a doctorate degree in sociology at the university of Florence (2006)as an independent filmmaker of documentaries, was awarded at Berlin talent campus (2008) and EsoDoc-european social (2005)documentary. Has under his belt various art, historic and social documentaries in various Mediterranean countries (morocco, Algeria, Tunisia) and the Balkans. he is among the founders and coordinators of ZaLab, an independent production of social documentaries who have been awarded many times in Venice(www.zalab.tv),www.zalab.org)some among which he worked on as director, photography and editing: canzone per l'anima (52min,documenta Madrid 2010,movies that matter2010),passacaglia (25min2008 transmitted on Television del Cataluņa), libro di famiglia (25 mins,2007,transmitted on RTVE-RADIO Television ESPANNOLA) ,Souvenir Srebrenica and nominated at the David di Donatello award for theme and screenplay in 2007) He also has been the supervisor for editing of Come un uomo sulla terra produced by zalab in 2008 and il sangue verde (giornate degli Autori, venezia 2010.Presently he works and lives in Barcelona.

He is the executive producer of zalab which is a cultural association with branches in Rome, Padova and Barcelona. It was founded by a group of independent young filmmakers, zalab has produced ,co produced, important documentaries on contemporary history and human rights in Italy, Spain , in Balkan countries and Mediterranean countries such as morocco, Algeria, Tunisia ,Libya, and Palestine .from the year 2011 zalab distributes quality documentaries even form non zalab directors.

Recent productions: IL sangue verde (Venezia, giornate degli autori 2010) canzone per l'anime (documenta Madrid 2010), magari le cose cambiano (Turin film festival 2009) come un uomo sulla terra (grand prix cmca 2009).

Recent distributions: Italy love it or leave it, by ghofer and l ragazzi (2011), Ju tarramutu, by Paolo Pisanelli (2011).

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