@ Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh, Friday 30 October 2015

Qisenta: Talking Syria is a blog where people who are from Syria can share their personal stories. The Stories Without Borders – Literature and Film event at the Scottish International Storytelling Festival presents readings from this blog as well as short films from artist and filmmaker Roxana Vilk. The event is structured so we hear a short reading and then watch a movie that also tackles important and engaging personal stories. All the stories are written by women and this theme is expressed in many of the five short films that are presented at the event.

The first reading is called ‘My Father’s Dream‘ and looks at a story involving freedom through the medium of dance. It was written by a contemporary dancer who uses performance to express personal topics. Expression is also explored in the first film screened this evening. It is titled ‘Red Burka‘ and is a five minute documentary about the garment which is worn by women in southern Iraq. This Burkha is not imposed and is seen as an object of fashion and expression. Freedom is another common theme presented in the films and stories. ‘My Bicycle‘, ‘The Keys to My Home‘ and ‘Seeking the Jasmine Breeze‘ are all succinct, passionate and engaging narratives that are drawn from the blog and read with heart, conviction and honesty.

Roxana Vilk is a filmmaker who is obviously inspired by people with honest and interesting stories. Her short ‘Beyond Words‘ looks at honour in northern Iraq where two activist poets from the area ( Awezan Nouri and Sabreen Kadhim) express themselves through words. The result is a visceral film poem where the power of words and images combine to highlight the plight of Iraqi women. The film was commissioned by Reel Festival and like the three shorts which followed it, showcases how powerful the medium of film can be and how important it is to tell these stories.