Coury Deeb
Coury Deeb is a native of Louisville, KY. He is the founder and Director of Nadus Films, a socially responsible company that was inspired by his first trip to Southern Sudan. Prior to his trip, Coury worked as a photographer, however, his desire to educate people and bring change to southern Sudan lead him into the world of filmmaking where he produced and directed The New Sudan and formed Nadus.
Nadus' mission is to "equip and empower the Southern Sudanese holistically with the focus of seeing this war-torn region rebuilt." The company helps the Sudanese people with clean water, quality education, medical care, church development and scholarships.
Coury Deeb will tell you he "is in a network of servants who desire to see change, healing, and re-bulding in the war-torn areas of Southern Sudan." We salute Coury and Nadus Films on their dedication to helping people and giving them a better life.
Nadus' mission is to "equip and empower the Southern Sudanese holistically with the focus of seeing this war-torn region rebuilt." The company helps the Sudanese people with clean water, quality education, medical care, church development and scholarships.
Coury Deeb will tell you he "is in a network of servants who desire to see change, healing, and re-bulding in the war-torn areas of Southern Sudan." We salute Coury and Nadus Films on their dedication to helping people and giving them a better life.
The Harmony Republic Interview
HR: Your first trip to Southern Sudan seems to have changed your life. What did you experience there for it to have made such a big impact on you?
CD: I was awakened to the fact that I was and still am a spoiled American with not enough drive to serve others because of various "distractions" and "things" in my life. This awakening would not have been made known had it not been for my first trip to Southern Sudan in 2005. During this trip, I saw a beautiful people in need. Their need wasn't a desperate need you might see here in the states by a man holding a sign by the interstate ramp, but it was a need that had found itself into every rhythm of their day. The rhythms of their day aren't so much different then ours. They wake up, they eat, brush their teeth, go to school, work, live in community, worship and sleep. The difference here is that through all this, they're battling contaminated water, broken schools with insufficient books, poor training and education, persecution because of their faith and when they sleep, unless they're under a mosquito net there's a high probability that they'll contract malaria and die (especially a child or pregnant woman). For us, if the rhythm of our day is interrupted in any way, we'll more than likely bitch, moan and then go out to eat that night to make our selves feel better. I know I do.
HR: Those experiences inspired you to produce and direct the documentary film, The New Sudan, to create awareness about the history of the civil war in that region and spark action by filmgoers. What challenges did you face in getting this film made?
CD: The challenges for this film were immense. Raising the $80k to make the film was probably the hardest part. Raising money for projects like this really does deplete you of the creative process. Whenever you do anything for the first time,
it's always more difficult in getting it done. This is absolutely true for the production and post production of the The New Sudan. Everything from editing to film festivals was a feat. Every morning I woke up and knew there'd be something new on my plate that I had no idea how to do. What got me through was help from other film producers/editors that wanted to see The New Sudan succeed! Other things we found difficult for us was actual challenges while filming in Southern Sudan. Everything from rocks being thrown at us, a mine exploding near us and being shut down and nearly arrested by the military there. Normal day of filming in Southern Sudan!
CD: I was awakened to the fact that I was and still am a spoiled American with not enough drive to serve others because of various "distractions" and "things" in my life. This awakening would not have been made known had it not been for my first trip to Southern Sudan in 2005. During this trip, I saw a beautiful people in need. Their need wasn't a desperate need you might see here in the states by a man holding a sign by the interstate ramp, but it was a need that had found itself into every rhythm of their day. The rhythms of their day aren't so much different then ours. They wake up, they eat, brush their teeth, go to school, work, live in community, worship and sleep. The difference here is that through all this, they're battling contaminated water, broken schools with insufficient books, poor training and education, persecution because of their faith and when they sleep, unless they're under a mosquito net there's a high probability that they'll contract malaria and die (especially a child or pregnant woman). For us, if the rhythm of our day is interrupted in any way, we'll more than likely bitch, moan and then go out to eat that night to make our selves feel better. I know I do.
HR: Those experiences inspired you to produce and direct the documentary film, The New Sudan, to create awareness about the history of the civil war in that region and spark action by filmgoers. What challenges did you face in getting this film made?
CD: The challenges for this film were immense. Raising the $80k to make the film was probably the hardest part. Raising money for projects like this really does deplete you of the creative process. Whenever you do anything for the first time,
it's always more difficult in getting it done. This is absolutely true for the production and post production of the The New Sudan. Everything from editing to film festivals was a feat. Every morning I woke up and knew there'd be something new on my plate that I had no idea how to do. What got me through was help from other film producers/editors that wanted to see The New Sudan succeed! Other things we found difficult for us was actual challenges while filming in Southern Sudan. Everything from rocks being thrown at us, a mine exploding near us and being shut down and nearly arrested by the military there. Normal day of filming in Southern Sudan!
HR: LOST fans will recognize the voice of William Mapother, who played Ethan on that show as narrator of The New Sudan. How and why did William get involved in this project?
CD: My good friend Gill Holland (producer) knew William Mapother and decided to reach out to him for potentially doing the narration for The New Sudan. Mapother saw the film and really enjoyed it, and immediately knew he had a gift he could use to serve those in Southern Sudan through Nadus Films (the film did its job). So, Mapother called me and committed to being the narrator for The New Sudan. Over the next two days, him and I shot about 40 emails to one another tweaking the narration script. Working with Mapother was a real privilege. He's a true professional and really contributed to the smoothness of the narration script. We were blessed to have him join the team because a.) his voice works perfectly with the film b.) he donated all of his time and c.) he's originally from Louisville. Our relationship is ongoing and I'm hoping there's more of a future for Mapother and Nadus Films!
HR: You not only created a documentary to bring about awareness to plights of the Sudanese, you also founded Nadus Films, a nonprofit focused on creating real change in that region. What are the goals of Nadus Films and what impact have you made so far?
The goals of Nadus Films are really quite simple. Raise as much awareness and money as we can to help rebuild Southern Sudan through our Sudanese led partnerships. We raise awareness and money through our gift of film. We use film (more specifically, the film The New Sudan), as a tool to assist those in need throughout Southern Sudan. We're largely grading the success of our works on how many wells are drilled, schools built, teachers trained, medicine delivered and churches equipped. We're all about raising awareness, but to be honest, I'd rather be doing something else if our work didn't lead to something more tangible and sustainable. This is what separates Nadus Films from other production companies.
Since the beginning of this year, Nadus Films has built 4 water wells (providing clean water for upwards of 8000 people per day), donated over $4k to building a school and help train and equip over 100 pastors to better serve their people. There's so much more to do, and we're hoping and praying that we'd continue to grow as an organization so we can do more through out partners on the ground in Southern Sudan. We can't do this alone, so, help us answer the call!
HR: How can people get involved to help Nadus support the Sudanese people?
CD: As I mentioned above, we're primarily focused on raising as much
awareness and money as we can. People can help Nadus Films by booking a screening of the film The New Sudan. By doing this, you're opening the cause up to your church, school or workplace. In addition to that, we're asking people to be creative in helping Nadus Films raise money. This could be done through benefit dinners, concerts, yard sales, etc. We're a grass roots organization, so, we heavily rely on help from all people in order to make our work more effective and continually sustainable. The website (www.NadusFilms.com) is a great place to learn about screenings and donations. All donations are tax-deductible.
HR: What advice do you have for individuals considering a career as a documentary filmmaker?
CD: There's so many things I could try and give advice on, however, I'm going to keep it simple. If you're a filmmaker, photographer, artist, etc... I would encourage you to use your gifts and abilities to serve things greater than yourself. I have discovered the joy of serving those in need by using my talents. Personally, I'm convicted if I don't use the gifts God has given me. Let this be a challenge to you. Find an organization that serves those in need, offer your services freely and find the joy in investing in something other than yourself. This is how Nadus Films was born. I'd love to hear how it works out for you! Godspeed!
CD: My good friend Gill Holland (producer) knew William Mapother and decided to reach out to him for potentially doing the narration for The New Sudan. Mapother saw the film and really enjoyed it, and immediately knew he had a gift he could use to serve those in Southern Sudan through Nadus Films (the film did its job). So, Mapother called me and committed to being the narrator for The New Sudan. Over the next two days, him and I shot about 40 emails to one another tweaking the narration script. Working with Mapother was a real privilege. He's a true professional and really contributed to the smoothness of the narration script. We were blessed to have him join the team because a.) his voice works perfectly with the film b.) he donated all of his time and c.) he's originally from Louisville. Our relationship is ongoing and I'm hoping there's more of a future for Mapother and Nadus Films!
HR: You not only created a documentary to bring about awareness to plights of the Sudanese, you also founded Nadus Films, a nonprofit focused on creating real change in that region. What are the goals of Nadus Films and what impact have you made so far?
The goals of Nadus Films are really quite simple. Raise as much awareness and money as we can to help rebuild Southern Sudan through our Sudanese led partnerships. We raise awareness and money through our gift of film. We use film (more specifically, the film The New Sudan), as a tool to assist those in need throughout Southern Sudan. We're largely grading the success of our works on how many wells are drilled, schools built, teachers trained, medicine delivered and churches equipped. We're all about raising awareness, but to be honest, I'd rather be doing something else if our work didn't lead to something more tangible and sustainable. This is what separates Nadus Films from other production companies.
Since the beginning of this year, Nadus Films has built 4 water wells (providing clean water for upwards of 8000 people per day), donated over $4k to building a school and help train and equip over 100 pastors to better serve their people. There's so much more to do, and we're hoping and praying that we'd continue to grow as an organization so we can do more through out partners on the ground in Southern Sudan. We can't do this alone, so, help us answer the call!
HR: How can people get involved to help Nadus support the Sudanese people?
CD: As I mentioned above, we're primarily focused on raising as much
awareness and money as we can. People can help Nadus Films by booking a screening of the film The New Sudan. By doing this, you're opening the cause up to your church, school or workplace. In addition to that, we're asking people to be creative in helping Nadus Films raise money. This could be done through benefit dinners, concerts, yard sales, etc. We're a grass roots organization, so, we heavily rely on help from all people in order to make our work more effective and continually sustainable. The website (www.NadusFilms.com) is a great place to learn about screenings and donations. All donations are tax-deductible.
HR: What advice do you have for individuals considering a career as a documentary filmmaker?
CD: There's so many things I could try and give advice on, however, I'm going to keep it simple. If you're a filmmaker, photographer, artist, etc... I would encourage you to use your gifts and abilities to serve things greater than yourself. I have discovered the joy of serving those in need by using my talents. Personally, I'm convicted if I don't use the gifts God has given me. Let this be a challenge to you. Find an organization that serves those in need, offer your services freely and find the joy in investing in something other than yourself. This is how Nadus Films was born. I'd love to hear how it works out for you! Godspeed!
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