Private Project

Symphony of Courage

Symphony of Courage tells the story of Farida and Zohra Ahmadi. They were the last students of the Afghanistan National Institute of Music to be evacuated from the country after the Taliban takeover last year. The Afghan National Institute of Music (ANIM) was the country’s only music school, and home to the world-renowned Zohra Orchestra - Afghanistan’s first all-female ensemble. ANIM’s director Dr. Ahmad Sarmast worked with an international team of philanthropists, politicians, and musicians to facilitate their evacuation. After a brief period in Doha, the group traveled together to Lisbon – their new home, where they can perform their music in a free and open society.

  • Euna Lee
    Senior Executive Editor
  • Beth Mendelson
    Senior Executive Producer/Director
  • Carol Slatkin
    Editor/Producer
  • Nathan Antila
    Writer/Producer
  • Tom Detzel
    Contributing Producer
  • Billy Dalton
    Associate Producer
  • Yalda Baktash
    Translation
  • Ibrahim Nash’rat
    Qatar Director of Photography/Producer
  • Abdullah Hassan
    Qatar Director of Photography/Producer
  • Jordan Bryon
    Afghanistan Director of Photography
  • João Pedro Augusto
    Portugal Director of Photography
  • Michael Henaghan
    New York Director of Photography
  • Chin Soo Park
    Graphics
  • Matthew Houston
    Graphics
  • Roger Hooper
    Composer
  • Skip SoRelle
    Re-Recording Mixer
  • Ted Snavely, Faction
    Color Correction
  • Ahmad Sarmast
    Cast
  • Farida Ahmadi
    Cast
  • Zohra Ahmadi
    Cast
  • Juma Ahmadi
    Cast
  • Senator Bill Cassidy
    Special Thanks
  • Yo-Yo Ma
    Special Thanks
  • Lesley Rosenthal
    Special Thanks
  • João Gomes Cravinho
    Special Thanks
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Runtime:
    29 minutes 43 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    August 7, 2022
  • Production Budget:
    91,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    Afghanistan, Portugal, Qatar, United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    1080p
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Distribution Information
  • Voice of America
    Distributor
    Country: United States
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography

Beth Mendelson is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and Executive Producer at Voice of America. Focused on issue-oriented programming, her latest documentary, Symphony of Courage, explores the escape of the students of the Afghanistan National Institute of Music and their harrowing journey to safety in Lisbon, Portugal. Her prior film, Turkey: Breaking The Silence profiles citizens, journalists and activists whose stories help explain the forces driving media repression. The film reveals the deep divisions in Turkish society and the evolution of
autocratic power against a free press.

Her series After Parkland paints an intimate portrait of loss and explores the impact of gun violence in America’s schools.

Boko Haram: Journey From Evil, narrated by award-winning actor David Oyelowo, pushes beyond the record of violence to examine the underpinnings of Boko Haram, the Nigerian
government’s response, and the inspirational stories of extraordinary Nigerians that are peacefully pushing back. Ms. Mendelson also produced an accompanying news series called
Boko Haram: Terror Unmasked based on eighteen hours of original video filmed by Boko Haram.

Her other projects include; A Single Step, hosted by Academy Award-winning actress Sally Field, that examines global women leaders and how the 4th UN Conference on Women in
Beijing was the beginning of a movement embracing change for women and girls; AIDS: Living in the Shadows, hosted by Sir Elton John, which took an unvarnished look at the stigma of AIDS
in communities around the world; John F. Kennedy: A Legacy Remembered, explored the legacy of the late President 50 years after his assassination; Immigration the New Face of America, put a human face on the Immigration debate through first hand profiles; and A Fateful Harvest, investigated Afghanistan’s opium trade and its challenge to the country’s stability.

Beth Mendelson’s communication career spans 30 years across non-profit organizations, broadcast media, and the U.S. government, including the White House. Prior to her documentary work at Voice of America, Beth Mendelson was the Chief of the Afghanistan Service for 6 years, overseeing television, radio, and web programming.

She has been an Executive Producer for major American and European networks, including PBS, CNN, ITN, ARD, and MSNBC. Her work producing documentaries and television specials has
taken her to Russia, China, France, and England among other countries. Mendelson’s other work includes films and programming for the World Bank, World Wildlife Fund, Agency for International Development, World Food Program, U.S. Department of State, and the National Civil Rights Freedom Awards; honoring Oprah Winfrey, Paul Rusesabagina, and Ruby Dee.

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