Film Premiere: Giving Ourselves A Voice

nabeel — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 17:24:28 +0000

Film Premiere: Giving Ourselves a Voice

May 13, 2012, 4:00pm

SCC 115, Ryerson University

Over the course of two chilly weekends in January, twelve young Muslims took part in a workshop conducted by filmmaker Jawad Jafry and a team of professionals to learn about the art of documentary filmmaking. By the end, they had produced short films presenting the stories of two Muslimahs in Canada.

Please join us as we release these films and speak with the participants about their experience, and the role of art as a form of political expression. The event will also feature a talk by Dr. Jasmin Zine, and the screening of Neglected Voices, four short films about Muslim youth and Canadian identity.

RSVP on Eventbrite or Facebook.

This event is free of charge and open to all. Light refreshments will be served.

About the Project

“Giving Ourselves A Voice” was a project in which Muslim youths, working with established media professionals, learned how to formulate, shoot, and edit short documentaries. The participants learned about pre-production, production and post-production as it pertains to documentary filmmaking.

Working with their professional instructors, they selected subjects, gathered information in preparation for shooting, operated equipment in the field, and helped edit and publish the videos. The project was designed to impart exposure to the filmmaking process from both a theoretical and hands-on perspective.

There was no tuition fee for the workshop. Participants were provided with light refreshments. All of the work materials and equipment needed (including cameras, tripods and lighting set up) were provided free of charge.

The results are two short ‘point-of-view’ films featuring young female Canadian Muslims.

The workshop was conducted by five media professionals with a range of production experience. They have worked with CBC, OMNI TV, Global TV, Vision TV, CTS and other media outlets. The project was primarily funded by the Toronto Arts Council and the venue was provided by the Islamic Institute of Toronto (IIT).

Neglected Voices: Stories of Canadian Muslim Youth and Identity Screening

nabeel — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 20:14:47 +0000

★★★ Tessellate Institute & Olive Tree Foundation: “Neglected Voices: Stories of Canadian Muslim Youth and Identity” Screening ★★★

Tues. Feb. 28 | 6 pm | Location: UofT St. George (Room TBA)

One of the videos (launched at the Olive Tree Foundation gala in June 2011)

[youtube=http://youtu.be/5r5B-dRZ5kw]

Please RSVP on Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/328266133875864/

Muslim youth are often at the forefront of international public debate, analysis and scrutiny. What is often missing from these discourses are the voices of young Muslims themselves. Neglected Voices presents 4 short films about Muslim youth who are at risk of being marginalized, representing different ethnic groups that face divergent challenges in Canadian society.

These short “point of view” style films help young Muslims explain, in their own words, what it is like to be a Canadian growing up in the prevailing culture of Islamophobia and negative stereotypes.

Watch four powerful short films and join us for a Q&A with director Jawad Jafry, of Adam’s World fame, after the screening.