About Us
John Homeh Biography
In Tel – Nassri village, crossed on the bank of Khabour river which flows through the plains of Jazzirah, John Homeh was born in 1952. There he grew up and thrived, by its captivating beauty he was addicted to the passion of love and beauty.
At the age of eight he held up the brush to materialize the invisibles into visible paintings. He painted many subjects of importance to him such as landscapes, human interactions, his homeland etc… All his paintings made way for six exhibitions in Syria.
When he became sturdier at the age of sixteen he realized that the camera could reveal the truth more than the brush. So he started negotiating it and presented through it many exhibitions in Syria. Some of his photography work made it to the Syrian TV and newspapers which scored him his first artist awards.
Coincidence had it that at 7 o’clock on the 7th day of the 7th month in 1977 he married his sweetheart Najiba. From here on they were a team, she was his inspiration.
In 1978 John opened a photography studio named, ‘Studio John’ and in 1980 a photography lab named, ‘Color of Ishtar’.
He arrived in Sydney, Australia in 1984 where he also exhibited his photography work with various artists.
Throughout his photography journey, John Homeh knew that one day he will experience the world of moving pictures.
In fact in 1975 in Syria he directed his first black and white film about his homeland and the escape of Assyrians from the mountains of Turkey in world war II. From then he continued to write scripts and make short films.
In 1985 John directed a feature film titled, ‘Who are the fools’ which has screened throughout the Assyrian communities in Australia.
In 1988 he filmed and directed a short film titled ‘ Semeleh’ starring Assyrian singer/artist Juliana Jendo, Shmoel Yawanis, Rita Homeh and George Mansour.
In 1989 he wrote, filmed and directed another short film titled ‘ Bahrah Min Atrah’ starring Najiba Homeh, Jack Homeh, Rita Homeh, George Sliwo, Shlemon ‘Kemka’, Odisho Kando, Joseph Yokabin, and Khoshaba Baroota.
‘Trampled Flowers’ was considered to be, ‘the dawn of Assyrian cinema’ as it was described by the artistic director Ihrahim Badal. In Assyrian ‘Wardeh Deesheh’ was shown in cinemas internationally, throughout the Assyrian communities. John Homeh wrote, filmed, directed and produced this movie in 1991 starring Assyrian Singer/artist George Homeh, Juliana Jendo, George Sliwo, Lydia Bennett, Yonia Sliwo, Rita Homeh, Toris Homeh and Abrahim Khano.
John followed it with a special children’s video clips called ‘The flowers of Assyria’ where he scored the title of songwriter for the three of the songs, ‘Tateh tateh’, leleh kol waten yema’ and ‘Alab bet.’ He filmed, directed and edited the clips starring Juliana Jendo.
In 1996 he filmed and directed an Arabic feature film titled ‘Sorry my love” which was screened in Hoyts cinema in Sydney starring Simon Dagher and Susan Horani.
In 1997 John Homeh had the opportunity to compete with film makers around the world. He filmed and directed ‘Three religious men and a naked woman’ (in English). Out of 320 film makers that competed in the Bathurst Film Festival, John’s film awarded him 3rd place.
In 1998 he produced an Assyrian documentary called ‘Gilgamesh’ in English and followed it with another Assyrian documentary in 1999 called ‘The untold haul cast’ for ‘The Assyrian Australian Society’ also in English.
In the year 2000 and 2003 he filmed and edited two Arabic feature films titled ‘Escapism’ and ‘No Boundaries.’
Between this time while in Germany he directed the Assyria TV, filming various projects which was shown by satellite.
From 1986 through to 2003 John has filmed and directed many video clips in five different languages. In Assyrian, Arabic, Turkish, Iranian and English.
In Assyrian
- Flowers of Assyria – Juliana Jendo
- Semeleh – Juliana Jendo and George Homeh
- Ninwety kmat shaperta
- Le shoqinakh khayi Nineweh - both songs George Homeh & Juliana Jendo
- Bandeh – Juliana Jendo
- Goota Atorayta ( Assyrian soccer) – Juliana Jendo
- Khater Aynatookh – Juliana Jendo
- Gilyana hoi Gilyana – Juliana Jendo
In Arabic
- Syria (a piece of love) – Juliana Jendo
- Tihi Siban – Elias Karam
Throughout his life journey, John Homeh came to recognize and understand the power of our creation he put pen to paper and summarized his visions and feelings by writing and publishing his first book ‘The truth is…’ (Nahnoo el ensan), which he wrote in Arabic and was translated in English by Sam Shalalo.
John wrote the words for many Assyrian artists such as;
- Ya sara meka tilookh – Ashur Sargis
- Yema – Sargon Gabriel
- Giliana- egarta
- Lena Saro
- many lyrics for George Homeh and Juliana Jendo
John Homeh is not only a camera man, a director, a songwriter and a true nationalistic Assyrian, but most of all as described by Sam Shalalo ‘he is a true philosopher in the mold of Jibran Khaleel Jibran.’ His attempts to build the Assyrian reputation is still growing and by this he has currently established a film production studio in Sydney named ‘Ishtar Film Entertainment.’
John Homeh director of this studio is planning to create even bigger productions. Ishtar Film Entertainment will be conducting,
- Assyrian TV programs
- Video production
- Future projects
- Assyrian Operettas
- Feature Films etc…..
