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Alam High School

An iconic school in Iran, once taught by Americans, turns into a prison for political dissidents

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Alam High School

Alam High School

Alam High School

Alam High School

Alam High School

An iconic school in Iran, once taught by Americans, turns into a prison for political dissidents

An iconic school in Iran, once taught by Americans, turns into a prison for political dissidents

An iconic school in Iran, once taught by Americans, turns into a prison for political dissidents

An iconic school in Iran, once taught by Americans, turns into a prison for political dissidents

Houtan Yaghmai
Houtan Yaghmai
Houtan Yaghmai
Houtan Yaghmai
1 Campaign |
Los Angeles, United States
$70,018 USD by 277 backers
$70,018 USD by 277 backers on May 19, 2014
UPDATES

UPDATE 8 - Our director Saman Yaghmai-Aledavoud did an interview in Farsi with Voice of America which airs on VOA Persian this Sunday, May 18, 2014 at 11:30 a.m. PST. You can watch it now on YouTube below!

UPDATE 7 - BREAKING NEWS - SamanMedia is very proud to announce that Oscar nominated, Emmy winning actress Shohreh Aghdashloo will be narrating "Alam High School" the documentary film.

Shohreh Aghdashloo

Please visit Deadline Hollywood to read the exclusive announcement.

UPDATE 6 - Max Amini Rewards Tier - We have hit and surpassed the $15,000 mark and as promised we are proud to present a video and a brand new rewards tier at $100, $500 and $1000 from stand-up comedian Max Amini! Watch now and contribute!


Please click here to subscribe to Max Amini's YouTube channel.

UPDATE 5 - Just a friendly reminder to our supporters, you may make your contribution anonymously if you wish to do so. Please click here for further instructions from the Indiegogo Help Center. Thank you!

UPDATE 4 - We have launched the Official Teaser for the film - please watch this excerpt and make your contribution to our campaign today! Also remember to share our campaign with your friends, family and colleagues! Thank you for your support!

"Alam High School" the Documentary Film - Teaser from SamanMedia, LLC on Vimeo.

UPDATE 3 - We have added a new perk! It is our featured perk of the day - a luxurious night out in Las Vegas! There is only one package up for grabs so claim it before it's gone!

UPDATE 2 - Thank you everyone for your continued support of our film but don't stop now because once we hit the $15,000 mark we will have a very special announcement from comedian Max Amini - stay tuned and keep up the contributions!

UPDATE 1 - Visit www.AlamHighDoc.com for even more information about the film and personal videos from our filmmakers Saman-Yaghmai Aledavoud and Houtan Yaghmai introducing themselves and discussing why the film is important to them.

ABOUT THE FILM

“Alam High School” turns a lens on the story of a co-ed institution, established in the conservative city of Mashhad, Iran in 1969, which was an elite, advanced, and iconic experimental school never seen before in Iran. The students of Alam High School were taught in English by young Americans who were former members of the Peace Corps. and Iranian professors from the local university. 

Ten years later, at a time when Iran as a country was undergoing many significant changes and facing an uncertain future, the lives of some of the brightest and best of Iran's future, the students of Alam High School, were also coming to a climatic change. Alam High School, one of the last symbols of the peaceful American-Iranian union was poised to become a detention center for political dissidents. It soon held captive some of the very same students, who, months or years earlier, were being groomed to be the best Iran had to offer.

BEHIND THE SCENES

The story of Alam High School was brought to our producer Houtan two years ago by a former Alam student, his father. The story instantly captured him and as he learned more about this hidden gem in Iranian history it became clear that its story needed to be told. Together with his cousin Saman, Houtan had the honor of attending the first Alam High School reunion in Washington D.C. and they were amazed by the untold stories and impact that Alam High School had on the students, staff, faculty and country. A year later, during the second reunion in San Diego, California, Houtan and Saman had the opportunity to continue filming these heartfelt stories and the documentary was officially born.

Through extensive research and digging through our networks, we have been able to track down numerous political figures, journalists, historians and, of course, former students, staff and faculty who are willing to share their stories about Alam High School. This is a profound piece of history that not only speaks to an important era in Iran but also puts into context the transformation of the geopolitical world at that time.

We are looking to friends, family and any well-wishers to bring this project to life. There are many perks to choose from – all of which in some way provide an interactive experience with the project and are a small token of our immense gratitude for your support.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to email us at: info@AlamHighDoc.com

MORE ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN

What We Need & What You Get The alumni, staff and faculty of Alam High School are scattered throughout the world, spanning almost every continent. We are trying to raise $70,000 through this campaign which is primarily going to be used to get our crew to these countries and capture the important stories of Alam High School. Not only will we be traveling within the United States but also Germany, France and England. Trying to film all these inspiring stories is going to take time and of course money, but in the end, going to these people will greatly elevate the story and experience of the film.

For your contribution there are many rewards to choose from where you will either get fun gifts related to the project or even get to hang out with the cast and crew.

OTHER WAYS YOU CAN HELP

We are actively spreading the word about Alam High School, but we need your help to expose this important story to a wider audience. After you have contributed – thank you – please e-mail the IndieGoGo link (http://igg.me/at/alamhighschool) to your friends and family and kindly post it to your Facebook, Twitter and other social media. The more noise we can make the better!


MEET THE TEAM

Saman Yaghmai-Aledavoud, Director


Saman's interest in filmmaking developed in his early teenage years while living in Tehran, Iran. In his high school years, he began working on short films as the director of photography. During this period, he worked on the controversial film, "Mordab" (Marsh), which exposed the secret lifestyle of Iranian youth, including online dating, underground parties, and the usage of drugs. The movie was scheduled to be screened during the prestigious Baran Women Short Film Festival's closing night; however, it was banned by the government prior to the screening due to its content.

Saman moved to Los Angeles in 2003 to further his studies in filmmaking. Upon his arrival to the United States, he enjoyed immediate success with "Allow the Wind," which won the Best Directing, Screenwriting, and Cinematography awards from Santa Monica College's Student Filmmakers Association Film Festival. Saman majored in Film Studies and also studied photography and music at Santa Monica College and later received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Cinema with an emphasis in cinematography from Columbia College Hollywood as an honor student. At Columbia, he teamed up with the best of his peers and completed cinematography on several thesis films and independent projects as well as directing a few projects. He also completed an internship with Seamus McGarvey, ASC, BSC, the Academy Award Nominee cinematographer of "Atonement (2007)" and "Anna Karenina (2012)" and Alex Nepomniaschy, ASC.

As a cinematographer, Saman has worked on numerous short films, documentaries, music videos, and commercials and continues to collaborate on exceptional projects.

Read more at IMDB.

Houtan Yaghmai, Producer

Houtan Yaghmai was born in 1985 in Tehran, Iran. His family made the decision to leave Iran in 1988, in search of increased opportunities in North America. They initially settled in Toronto, Canada, amidst a large support network of family members and other Persians. This support system allowed Houtan to maintain his deep connections with Iranian culture and further his passion in understanding the plight of many Iranians post-revolution.


Houtan left Canada to attend college in California at the University of California, Riverside, where he received a B.S. in Business Administration. Always told he was a good advocate and that he had an affinity for argumentation, Houtan began law school at Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego, California, in August of 2010. During his academic career at Thomas Jefferson, Houtan was granted a Jeffersonian Fellowship for his outstanding academic achievement. Deeply committed to entertainment and the protection of creativity, Houtan focused his legal studies on issues related to intellectual property, and entertainment law. He has served as a staff law clerk at Thomas Jefferson's Arts and Entertainment Law Project at the Small Business Law Center, where he has acted as a legal advisor on intellectual property and business-related issues to low-income artists, actors, dancers, writers, musicians, filmmakers, and related non-profit organizations.

When he is not busy film-making, Houtan is a dedicated Toronto Maple Leafs fan, and a budding pianist. He loves to travel and is a polyglot, fluent in French, in addition to Farsi.

Read more at IMDB.


FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

When and where will you be filming?

Filming will commence in the summer of 2014 and continue for at least 8-10 months. There are several countries which we have already identified (U.S.A., Germany, France, and England) but as we move forward there will definitely be additional travel required to ensure we capture as much of the total story as possible.

Interesting film, but will it be in English or in Farsi?

The film will be entirely in English except for instances where an interviewee does not speak English, and in that case we will subtitle that specific interview for our audience - you. 


Is $70,000 enough?

If you have asked yourself this question, then you’re right, $70,000 is definitely not enough. This amount is purely being used to continue the principal photography – to get the crew to the people and film. We have already started this phase, but as the contacts grow, so do the expenses, and of course we will need additional funds for editing. The footage from principal photography will be used as a “calling card” to raise additional funds from private investors and hopefully some distribution companies.

If you have contacts/access to additional funds, then why are you asking me for money?

The IndieGoGo campaign will serve as the jump-starting boost for this entire project. Without your initial support, we won’t be able to get the footage needed to access and pitch to the additional investors. The pitch to private investors and distribution companies will be much more successful if they can experience the Alam High School stories for themselves rather than be told about them.

What happens after you complete the film?

Throughout the entire process we want to pitch the film to as many distribution companies as possible. With such an international scope, the project will appeal to many across the world and we want to ensure it is exposed to as many people as possible. This could be through theatrical distribution or even the film festival circuit, but ultimately the distribution company will decide the overall strategy.

Enough small talk, I want to see some action so I did my part and donated, now what? After the campaign is finished, we will contact each purchaser to organize delivery of their perk. Please be patient as we work through the logistics. At any time please feel free to e-mail us for more information: info@AlamHighDoc.com

I have an Alam High School story to share!

Contact us right away info@AlamHighDoc.com so that we can chat in more detail and schedule an interview. We want to capture as much of the history behind the school as possible.

Looking for more information? Check the project FAQ
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Choose your Perk

Freshmen – “Thank You”

$10 USD
Your name in the credits of the film under the “Thank You” section.
14 claimed

Freshmen – Signed Script

$25 USD
“Thank You” credit and a digital copy of the script derived from interview transcripts signed by writer/director Saman Yaghmai-Aledavoud.
25 claimed

Freshmen – Digital Download

$50 USD
Everything in the “Freshmen” Tier and a digital download of the movie.
35 claimed

Sophomores – Special Thank You

$100 USD
Your name in the credits of the film under the “Special Thank You” section.
26 claimed

Sophomores – Signed Poster

$180 USD
“Special Thank You” credit and a 8x11” poster of the film signed by writer/director Saman Yaghmai-Aledavoud.
6 claimed

Sophomores – Premiere Tickets

$250 USD
Everything in the Sophomores Tier and two (2) tickets to the Los Angeles premiere screening of the film. Note: Travel arrangements to L.A. are not included.
15 out of 20 of claimed

Juniors – Q&A Session

$300 USD
A “Super Special Thank You” credit and a digital question and answer session with writer/director Saman Yaghmai-Aledavoud via Skype, Facetime, or other video conferencing (maximum time limit of 30 minutes).
4 claimed

Seniors – Private Screening

$500 USD
“Super Special Thank You” credit, digital Q&A session and one (1) ticket to a private screening of the film in Los Angeles with writer/director Saman Yaghmai-Aledavoud, producers, and other notable guests. Note: Travel arrangements to L.A. are not included and guests are subject to change without prior notice.
3 claimed

Exclusive Credit

$1,000 USD
Everything in the “Juniors and Seniors” Tier and a “This Film Was Not Possible without the Support of the Following People” credit.
2 claimed

Alam High School Alumni

$1,969 USD
This reward represents the year Alam High School opened. You will get everything in the “Juniors and Seniors” Tier and you will receive the following: -Submit old photos of school for HD Restoration (maximum 5) -Digital 3D Model of the School (created by a CGI Designer) -A commemorative Alam High School plaque to display in your home and show your school spirit!
3 claimed
sold out

Alumni - One Night in Vegas

$3,000 USD
1 out of 1 of claimed
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