Over 100 attendees gathered together at SOAS yesterday evening to watch “In This World” the compelling docudrama from Michael Winterbottom following the desperate journey of Jamal and Enayatullah, two young Afghan refugees trying to reach the UK to demand political asylum. The emotional and cinematographic power of the film created the perfect backdrop for the debate in which a concerned audience and an exceptional panel explored issues related to the barrier the Western World presents to asylum seekers trying to achieve legal protection.
The comprehensive experience of Chris Nash, new Head of the Refugees and Migrant Rights Team atAmnesty International and the breadth of experience of Joana Oyediran, Sudan Programme Officer at the Open Society Initiative for East Africa were only matched by the compelling tale of personal experience by Tindyebwa Agaba, MA Law student at SOAS, former child soldier and refugee who fled to the UK in 2003. The discussion was skillfully facilitated by Sean Lowrie who managed to involve the audience and called for action on the Amnesty Refugees and Asylum campaign in support of a fair and effective asylum system.
Listen to Sebilio Lillo Uribe, leader of the SOAS Student Union, for a taste of the passion this multiethnic and engaged University can express on one of the most pressing issues of our times.
(Watch this space for the full Brightwide film of the debate – to be added later in the week. In the mean time, here’s the shortened version)
Great thanks to Optimum Releasing for their help clearing the screening rights.
If you’ve not yet had a chance to watch Michael Winterbottom’s fabulous film In This World on Brightwide (or even if you have, and you just can’t get enough) then come and join us on 1st March at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) for the latest in our series of 2010 Brightwide Events.
Michael Winterbottom’s Golden Bear award winning docudrama charts the journey of two Afghan refugees, Jamali and Enayatullah, who leave their refugee camp in Pakistan behind in search of a new life in London’s Kilburn.
We’ll be screening the film and following up with a Q&A session: ‘Refugees and obstacles to reaching protection in Europe’ that brings the Brightwide mantra of Watch - Think - Link - Act to the real bricks-and-mortar world. So why not come along armed with some testing questions for our expert panel? Because with Brightwide, the film no longer ends with the credits …
Brightwide Director Paola De Leo and founder Colin Firth featured on BBC News 24 recently, explaining howBrightwide is a platform on which film is the catalyst for activism …
A big Brightwide welcome to Fatima Bhutto, our number one fan and contributor, who joined us in the office today to discuss a world of opportunities for
the future …
Fatima arrived from Pakistan in London today to brainstorm her role with us. From foreign correspondent to Global Brightwide Ambassador Supreme (well, ok, the job title may need some work) all avenues are open. With news of international film and literary festivals, plans for her forthcoming book (more on that in the coming months) and endless enthusiasm for the Brightwide vision, Fatima galvanized and energised us.
Over the coming months Fatima will help us to create the space for talented, young and politically astute commentators from around the world, to review and comment on Brightwide’s films and the issues and themes at their heart, sparking debate among our online community.
And we hope that in time, Fatima will attend some of the more far-flung Asian and south-east Asian film festivals on our behalf;
helping us to build a truly international and cutting edge online library of the very best of social and political cinema.
If you haven’t yet read Fatima’s wonderful review of the film Under The Bombs, then why not read it exclusively on Brightwide now, and
don’t forget you can watch the film online for free for a limited time only. All you need to do is sign up here. And with more contributions
from Fatima to come, make sure you drop back in regularly so as not to miss out…
After a few weeks of trepidation we’ve launched Brightwide with the premiere of ‘No One Knows About Persian Cats’, on a sunny Sunday afternoon at the London Film Festival’s favourite venue - the NFT1 at the BFI Southbank.
Brightwide presents No One Knows About Persian Cats
The Persian Cats, i.e. the two main actors, were there too, and found themselves in a fully booked theatre. Colin Firth introduced the Brightwide concept and why he decided to launch this new venture.
Click the image to watch the full Q&A
We consider ourselves incredibly lucky to have had the chance to premiere this wonderful film and we can’t wait for the Persian Cats to have their first concert in London. Watch out - we’ll keep you posted.
Following the screening - our “bright and wise” panelists came on stage to shed light on the issues raised in the film, in particular the suppression of creative expression in Iran, in this case, rock music. The panel was moderated by Martin Hogdson, the Guardian’s Assistant News Editor, who welcomed Director Bahman Ghobadi, actors Ashkan Koshanzad and Negar Sheghahi, Rose Issa, expert on Iranian art and cinema, Caspar Llewellyn-Smith, Editor of Observer Music Monthly, and Jon Leyne, Teheran’s BBC Correspondent who was expelled from Iran earlier this year when covering the elections there.
Persian Cat actor Ashkan Koshanzad
As hoped, the vibrant panel ignited passionate discussion about the issues, and at one point even sparked critical debate. When the actor Askhan Koshanzad was challenged as to why he left Tehran, he replied that leaving was never his dream - his dream was to live in an Iran where he could play his music without worry.
The discussion was an amazing introduction to our Brightwide project. We want you to watch the best of social and political cinema on Brightwide, but we don’t want it to stop when the credits run. We want you to engage in a passionate and multi-faceted debate all around our films and issues; to get involved and to act together with our partner charities. That’s why, Drewery Dyke, from Amnesty International was present on Sunday, to explain what is being done and how we should promote positive activism.
We will be posting the video of the panel discussion soon on Brightwide…. so stay tuned.
After the event Phyllida Lloyd sent us a note saying:
“I was blown away by this roller coaster of a road movie that hurtles you through the underground Tehran music scene delivering treat after musical treat - indie rock, heavy metal, rap… there’s a kind of: ‘This cant be for real - oh my god it IS !’ about the filmmaking.”
So, besides all the excitement and glamour — Don’t forget to sign-up on Brightwide, where we have a library of other social political films you can watch, discuss and act on!
Tickets are now completely sold out for Sunday’s UK premiere and the Brightwide panel afterwards, but we’ll be posting all the photos and discussion highlights on here, so stay tuned.
We’re getting very excited about the upcoming screening of the No One Knows About Persian Cats film at the London Film Festival. We’ve already planned a panel discussion after the film, which will be hosted by Colin Firth and will explore how the work of politically engaged directors can accelerate social and political change.
After the film we’ve just agreed to host a *Tea Party*, with delicious Persian tea and sweets, so that people who have watched the film & attended the panel discussion can mingle and interact with the filmmakers and panel members. We’ll be showing sneak previews of some of our other Brightwide films. It’s invitation only, but if anyone is interested, do get in touch, and if we have the space we’ll try to get you an invite.
No One Knows About Persian Cats at the London Film Festival 25 October 2009
A special screening of No One Knows About Persian Cats, the powerful film about Iran’s underground music scene, will mark the launch of the Brightwide project at the 53rd London Film Festival on Sunday 25th October.
No One Knows About Persian Cats follows a young boy and girl that form a music group in Tehran after being released from prison. They meet other underground rock musicians – including rappers, metal bands and indie rockers - and attempt to convince them to leave Iran.
The film’s young stars, Ashkan Koshanzad and Negar Sheghahi, who both won awards at Cannes, are currently seeking political asylum in Britain. They are at risk of arrest if they return to Iran in the aftermath of the disputed elections.
The film was co-written by Roxana Saberi, the journalist who was jailed in Iran in 2009 on charges of being a US spy.
Following the screening of Bahman Ghobadi’s critically-acclaimed movie, Brightwide founder Colin Firth will introduce a panel of major contributors from the world of music, arts, politics and human rights campaigning. The experts on the panel include Caspar Llewellyn-Smith, Editor of Observer Music Monthly, Martin Hogdson, Assistant Editor of the Guardian and Rose Issa, Iran arts expert.
The discussion will focus on how the work of politically engaged directors, such as Ghobadi, can accelerate social and political change.
After the screening, Brightwide will keep the debate open and host your comments and reviews online. Site users will be encouraged to take action on the issues tackled in the films they watch, in collaboration with our campaigning organisations.
Screening details
No One Knows About Persian Cats Place: BFI Southbank, NFT1 Screen. Time: 1pm
