Reel Festivals

REEL SYRIA

dan — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 18:34:34 +0000

A 3 day festival of Syrian films, music and theatre, London & Edinburgh, March 15-17 2012

We’re very excited to announce the launch of our latest project, Reel Syria.

Building on Reel Festivals 2011, this project aims to present another side of Syrian culture, through Syrian film, music, theatre and literature.

As with all Reel Festivals, we’ll be holding a wide variety of events in a wide variety of venues, and bringing some of the best films, music, discussions and talks to you direct from Syria. We’re working with some amazing people inside Syria to make this happen, more on this soon.

At a time when Syria is undergoing massive changes, many within the arts community are speaking out. We aim to support this and give you the opportunity to engage with events there and hopefully get a deeper understanding of the country and the region.

Abu Hawash – Syrian Dabke

dan — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 18:37:02 +0000

Frenetic Synthesisers, banging drums, constantly shifting melodies, hypnotic beats. This is the new sound of the Syrian desert, a sound clash between reed flute playing and desert keyboards. No-one brings it to you fresher than Abu Hawash, the father of Chaos. Playing the Mijwiz (a double tuned reed flute) Abu Hawash guides the crowd into a frenzy, accompanied by synthesizers, singers and an ubiquitous huge frame drum. This is the sound of Dabke, blaring out of taxis across Syria and now coming to you as part of Reel Festivals 2011.

Click here to view the embedded video.

I chose to listen, poetry in performance

dan — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 11:21:30 +0000

I chose to listen, poetry in performance – a short film by Roxana Vilk

Click here to view the embedded video.

Shot in Beirut during 6 days in May 2011, this is poetry in performance, with 3 fabulous UK based poets, Ryan Van Winkle, Emily Ballou and William Letford.

Produced, Directed and Filmed by Roxana Vilk
Executive Produced by GOL Productions & Reel Festivals
Edited by Maryam Ghorbankarimi
Sound Design and Music by Peter Vilk
Production Assistant Stefanie Van De Peer
Filmed on location in Beirut 2011, with a Canon EOS 7D
and film sound recorded on a Zoom H2 mic and Rhode SVM Mic ( attached to the camera)

Commissioned by Reel Festivals 2011, Creative Scotland and Scottish Poetry Library and Firefly International.

I Chose to Listen

admin — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 03:56:35 +0000

I Chose to Listen – New Translations from Reel Festivals 2011

This free to download e-book (published in association with Forest Publications) features brand new English and Arabic poetry translations from collaboration and performance with the Reel Festivals poets.

From Syria, Golan Haji and Rasha Omran, from Lebanon, Yehya Jaber and Mazen Maarouf and from Scotland, Tom Pow, Emily Ballou, William Letford and Ryan Van Winkle, along with beautiful Arabic Calligraphy by Everitte Barbee.

We are immensely thankful to Creative Scotland for making this book and all these outcomes possible through the Vital Sparks funding, to the British Council for their sponsorship and ongoing support and to the Scottish Poetry Library, Literature Across Frontiers and all Reel Festivals supporters.

As the poet Andrew Philip said: ‘it fairly makes a difference when you know the poetry makes a difference’. We couldn’t agree more and hope you do too.

The Confession

admin — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 03:55:34 +0000

The Confession – a short film by Roxana Vilk

Click here to view the embedded video.

Commissioned by Reel Festivals 2011, Creative Scotland and Scottish Poetry Library and Firefly International.

A Palestinian Poet in Beirut

admin — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 03:55:34 +0000

A Palestinian Poet in Beirut – a short film by Roxana Vilk

Click here to view the embedded video.

Commissioned by Reel Festivals 2011, Creative Scotland and Scottish Poetry Library and Firefly International.

Road to Damascus

admin — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 03:55:34 +0000

Road to Damascus – a short film by Roxana Vilk

Click here to view the embedded video.

Commissioned by Reel Festivals 2011, Creative Scotland and Scottish Poetry Library and Firefly International.

Ghazi

dan — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 03:53:34 +0000

Ghazi – Dj Dolphin Boy

Beirut traffic sounds and old Lebanese music samples fuse with Shooglenifty playing live in Lebanon

Empty Beach

dan — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 03:53:34 +0000

Empty Beach – Dj Dolphin Boy

Soundscapes recorded on the Lebanese coast mixed in with a jam session in a Beiruti apartment along with Lebanese Love poetry

Deraa

dan — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 03:53:34 +0000

Deraa – DJ Dolphin Boy

Based on recordings of an unnamed Syrian ‘Oud player that features on an old Record Society disc