AnthroKino – The Program

In November and December, Allies meet (online) to watch ethnographic films and discuss with their makers. We have a wonderful line up of movies that explore humanitarianism (The Bridge), urban violence (Shadowlands), climate change (Mammung) and revolution (The Secret Capital). Register to receive the Zoom link!

Our AnthroKino series is part of Allegra’s efforts to strengthen our community through gatherings.

The Bridge (30 mins)

Nov 8th – 2 PM CET

Laura Kunreuther, Mulki Mohamed Ali, Adam Mohamed Bashar, Kamoso Jean Bertrand

The Bridge explores the labor conditions of being an interpreter while also being a refugee under the governance of humanitarian aid. The fictional frame of the film enables a representation of ‘the real’ without threat to refugee security. Centering on the everyday episodes in the lives of two refugee characters, who work as interpreters in a camp for a fictional humanitarian agency, The Bridge depicts the multilingual nature of the camp and focuses on issues specific to interpreters in the field (lack of trainings, rejection by other refugee clients due to their ethnicity, the experience of nightmares and other consequences of the trauma associated with interpreting difficult cases etc.). It also addresses topics that affect refugee workers more generally: the dual-status of being both “refugee” and “worker”, the problems with the structure of work under which refugees are employed, and obstacles to organizing to produce change. Most poignantly, the film depicts a lack of respect for interpreting work and its hidden centrality to the operations of international organizations in refugee camps. Producing The Bridge led three of the filmmakers to create their own ‘Community Based Organization’ (CBO) that aims to produce more films based on research for social change.

Register here!

Shadowlands (30 mins)

Nov 16 – 1.30 PM CET

Nida Kirmani

Shadowlands: Life After conflict in Lyari, Karachi follows the stories of two residents of the area of Lyari in Karachi, Nawaz Laasi and Amna Baloch. Both have lost family members to gang violence in the area. Nawaz has lost four sons, two to gang violence and two at the hands of the police, and Amna’s husband was killed by the police. Through telling their stories, this documentary sheds light on the on-going ramifications of violence and questions whether peace has truly been achieved for the people of Lyari.

Register here!

Mammung (43 mins)

Dec 7 – 1.30 PM CET

Maevia Griffiths et Lillian Robb

Mammung is the Noongar name for the whale: A creature that carries songs and stories through the world’s oceans, transmitting them from the Perth Canyon to all the continents of the globe. In this film, Mammung tells the story of a period of climatic change that rivals the one we are seeing today. 10,000 years ago, Western Australia experienced rapid sea-level rise. The film explores Noongar memory of this event, following Dr Noel Nannup in recalling the significance of places that are now below the sea and the dramatic process of change that indigenous people endured. It challenges us to ask: can we learn to understand and value this rich body of knowledge as we too adapt to a changing climate? And what awaits us if we don’t?

Register here!

The Secret Capital (28 mins)

December 14 – 1.30 PM CET

Samuli Schielke and Mukhtar Shehata

“If the revolution ever reaches our village, then there really is a revolution in Egypt.”

Was there a revolution? The Secret Capital follows the struggles, hopes and frustrations of people who tried to bring the revolution to their village in northern Egypt. The film consists of footage shot by the village revolutionaries during their activities, and of interviews recorded by the filmmakers.

Register here!