Indiegogo is committed to accessibility. If you have difficulty using our site, please contact support@indiegogo.com for assistance or view our accessibility notice by clicking here

This campaign is closed

Young Of The Morning

Documentary featuring legendary DJ Cheb i Sabbah's musical and healing journey through India.

You may also be interested in

Caret Left
Caret Right
Closed
Closed
Closed
Closed
Closed

Young Of The Morning

Young Of The Morning

Young Of The Morning

Young Of The Morning

Young Of The Morning

Documentary featuring legendary DJ Cheb i Sabbah's musical and healing journey through India.

Documentary featuring legendary DJ Cheb i Sabbah's musical and healing journey through India.

Documentary featuring legendary DJ Cheb i Sabbah's musical and healing journey through India.

Documentary featuring legendary DJ Cheb i Sabbah's musical and healing journey through India.

Amanda Estremera
Amanda Estremera
Amanda Estremera
Amanda Estremera
1 Campaign |
Los Angeles, United States
$9,120 USD 118 backers
30% of $30,000 Flexible Goal Flexible Goal
Choose your Perk

Merci! (Thank You!)

$10 USD
22 claimed

Shri Durga

$25 USD
27 claimed

MahaMaya

$35 USD
14 claimed

Krishna Lila

$50 USD
18 claimed

La Kahena

$100 USD
21 claimed

La Ghriba

$250 USD
2 claimed

Devotion: Sponsor

$500 USD
2 claimed

Jai Bhavani

$1,000 USD
2 claimed

Qalanderi

$5,000 USD
0 out of 5 of claimed

Ganga Dev

$10,000 USD
0 out of 2 of claimed

Kinna Sohna

$20,000 USD
0 out of 1 of claimed

Latest News:

Our heartfelt gratefulness to all of you who have made this campaign a success! We will keep you regularly posted on the progression of the film. Love and Light, Amanda and the Young Of The Morning team.

Our Story

YOUNG OF THE MORNING is a documentary film exploring the life and journey of world-renowned DJ, producer and Global Fusion pioneer, Cheb i Sabbah, as he travels through India performing shows, recording his latest album and seeking Ayurvedic adjuvant cancer therapy, weaved with a biography of his musical career, which began during the 60's in the Parisian discothèques with a stack of 7'' Soul records and Don Cherry as his mentor.

 

Born in Algeria, Chebiji (as he is affectionately known) enjoys a worldwide reputation as a magician of the dance floor. Known as a major pioneer of Global Fusion or World Fusion Music, he has seven albums under his belt with Six Degrees Records, and, for the past 40 years, has played to millions of fans around the world.

 

Sadly 8 months ago, doctors gave Cheb just four weeks to live after diagnosing him with stage 4 stomach cancer.

 

With the help of his generous fans and a fundraiser, Cheb received intensive treatment in Germany and, thankfully, pulled through. Upon his return, he wrote:  "The doctors were wrong in part of their diagnosis.  They did not take into account the power of prayers and the power of love from the thousands of my friends, fans and family.  It is because of your love, your prayers and your generosity that I am still alive today."


Amanda Estremera, Young of the Morning Director, was inspired to walk this journey with Cheb and document his life's work and the story behind the man who successfully merges spirituality and music.

Amanda recalls: "I’d always known Cheb i Sabbah's art, life and persona would provide for a fascinating film but when Cheb returned from Germany, I knew time was of the essence and I wrote him an email saying that I wanted to make a film about his life story, and his answer, in French, was simply "Oui, super, on y va!" ("Yes, great, lets do it!").


And so the journey has begun!



The Impact


The impact that Cheb has had on the music industry can not be overemphasized or underestimated. Not only is he an internationally acclaimed DJ who pulls in crowds of thousands creating a communion of love and oneness, his approach to music can best be described as an ethnomusicologist, taking traditional sounds and blending them with modern music, in essence writing music and bridging generational and geographical gaps. His work forms many of the sounds we are familiar with in modern music which is why Cheb has countless fans spanning the globe.


From an artistic and spiritual standpoint, the film explores the role that music plays in bringing people together and helping them access the divine or their true selves.  The sacred sounds that Cheb uses, mixed with electronica, are a gateway to a state of consciousness where boundaries, gender and race dissolve, leaving the audience feeling connected and at one. In yoga, this is referred to as Bhakti or Devotion.

YOUNG OF THE MORNING will also expose social and artistic issues that reach beyond Cheb's impact on the music world, while dipping into the crisis many musicians and the industry currently face since digital distribution has become the norm.  Musicians of Cheb’s caliber must now support themselves mostly through shows and film scores as revenues from record or CD sales increasingly decline. The film will raise awareness on that subject.


The appalling state of the health insurance industry in America, especially  for people facing life threatening illnesses, will also be a component of the film. Being a cancer survivor herself, Amanda has experienced first hand her shocking inability to obtain health coverage.


We know the film will have an enormous impact, not only on Cheb’s many fans around the world,  but on those who have an interest in India and its classical music and traditions, as well as people affected by the social and artistic issues the film is raising and anyone inspired by the biography of great artists.


What We Need

So far the project has been self-funded and has earned the support of Cheb as well as his friends, record label and a team of professional film makers. The next stage in the journey requires funding for the hire of kit and crew in India, basic accommodation, and editing of the footage upon our return. We will then be applying for traditional funds by way of grants, but in order to capture this critical part of Cheb’s story we need immediate funding to follow him on his journey to India.


The reality of filmmaking is that it costs money and what you put in determines the level of production value of the final project. The funding amount we are seeking is to ensure that we can film the duration of Cheb’s trip to India using a professional team to get high production value, and capture the best moments of Cheb’s journey, as this will also insure our acquiring substantial finishing funds from traditional grants and funders back in the States.


Specifically this will fund the cost of our director and editor Amanda Estremera, and a small local crew to accompany Cheb for 3 months covering the cost of flights, basic accommodation for 90 days, food, crew hire, equipment rental, a DP and sound team, and editing on the fly and back in the States.

What You Get


Our IndieGogo campaign is not just about you giving us money to make a film, we have committed time and resources to offer you a variety of gifts as a exchange of energy. Most of you contributing will either get a digital download of bonus footage or the entire film upon completion.  


Many of you lucky folks ;) will get a DVD signed by Amanda with a film postcard autographed by Chebi or Amanda; and perks go as far as credits on the film, editing sessions with Amanda, French gourmet private lunch at Amanda's home, lunch or diner with Amanda and Cheb, VIP premiere of the film with performance by Cheb i Sabbah, or even a private party with performance by Cheb i Sabbah and dancers.


So yes, the more you contribute, the sweeter the gifts, but ultimately your contribution is helping to fund a powerful, touching film that the filmmaking team is thoroughly devoted to bringing to completion.



Other Ways You Can Help


If you have any miles you wish to donate towards a flight to India, fabulous! Equipment you think we could use? Bring it on! And of course, the best way to help, besides contributing financially, is to get the word out to everyone and their mother!


Besides fans of Cheb, many people will be keenly interested in issues such as facing a life threatening illness without health insurance, the music industry crisis, blending East and West musically or the role music plays in yoga and spirituality. Please, post on your FB page, tweet, speak to others... let's make this happen from the ground up! 



With infinite gratitude and breathless excitement,

The Young Of The Morning team-




Looking for more information? Check the project FAQ
Need more information
Let us know if you think this campaign contains prohibited content.
Tags for this project

You may also be interested in

Up Caret