To celebrate the release of Limbo on 30 July, Journeys Into Film presents a rousing and reflective programme of shorts made by refugee filmmakers. Select shorts will be screened ahead of Limbo between Fri 30 July - Thu 5 Aug.
We will be screening a fantastic programme of five specially selected contemporary short films that look to the collective experiences of displacement: focusing on the stories of the sounds, languages, histories, and memories which shape our relationship to space and identity.
Journeys into Film is a fresh and thoughtful selection of short films from five contemporary filmmakers that offer both artistic intrigue and an injection of the reality of displacement and seeking refuge. Through bold, experimental, and intimate approaches, these films articulate the voices of their makers’ lived experiences and will resonate with audiences across the country.
The Little Whale on the Beach (Parang Khezri 2018, UK)
A montage of real refugee stories, The Little Whale on the Beach explores history repeating itself, as a child explores a dreamland on sandy shores. Surreal, explorative and playful in style, Parang Khezi’s experimental film was created collaboratively for Journeys Festival International; this was a pertinent and personal story for the director and the crew.
Fri 30 July, 2pm & Thu 5 Aug 7pm
My Name is Anik (dir. Bircan Birol 2020, UK)
Filmmaker Bircan Birol embarks on a mission to learn Kurdish from her grandmother Anik, as she lives in Turkey and goes by her Turkified name Belguzar. My Name Is Anik explores the complicated effort of grasping her mother tongue, as Anik reflects on painful and poignant memories. This intimate depiction of Birol and her grandmother reveals a glimpse of the joining of language, culture and identity.
Sat 31 July, 2pm & Wed 4 Aug 7.30pm
Ambience (Wisam Al-Jafari 2018, Palestine)
Two young people attempt an impossibly absurd venture, finding a space to record music inside their camp. In this bid to win a Music competition, their drive for success pushes the two to work more creatively than they first considered. Wisam Al-Jafari’s Ambience highlights the frustration and chaos of life under occupation.
Sat 31 July, 7.30pm & Thu 5 Aug at 2pm
Birds or Borders (Parham Ghalamdmar 2020, UK)
Free-thinking and free form animation produced by artist Parham Ghalamdmar, Birds or Borders explore expanded painting and drawing, stretching out each technique with vibrant digital tools. The film borrows from the COVID-19 context to demonstrate how lack of freedom is no new thing for migrants.
Fri 30 July 2pm & Thu 5 Aug, 7pm
This Is Not a Poem (Eric Ngalle Charles and Greg Lewis, 2018, UK)
As we follow Eric Ngalle Charles through the varied Welsh Countryside, This Is Not A Poem is a reflection on exile and the overlapping stories of migration. With offerings of several languages, voices and rhythms, this film moves between Eric’s arresting storytelling and dramatic landscapes as he finds his roots in a new home.
Sun 1 Aug, 7.30pm & Wed 4 Aug 11.30am
This programme is supported and made possible by Film Hub North and Film Hub Midlands, awarding National Lottery funding on behalf of the BFI Film Audience Network.