Film has always been a dynamic and powerful platform for communicating important issues, which is why I was particularly excited when the Scottish Refugee Council asked the Pop Up! Programmers to get involved in programming films for Refugee Week Scotland 2013.
The Pop-Up! Programmers are a group of twenty young people who, over a period of sixteen months through the Glasgow Film Theatre, are being equipped with the skills to produce pop-up film events. As well as working towards producing a final event in 2014, the group are also currently engaged in programming several film events including a screening for Refugee Week Scotland on Friday June 21.
Cult sci-fi
One of the essential aspects of programming is selecting the films so, after crossing off a long list, we settled on two films; one for adults and one for children. For the adults, we chose Nicolas Roeg’s cult classic The Man Who Fell To Earth, famous for its beautifully bizarre imagery and David Bowie’s iconic debut performance. The film follows the journey of an alien who crashes to earth after leaving his drought afflicted planet.
We chose this film not just because it is a great piece of cinema, but because it portrays the struggles of someone trying to comprehend strange new cultures and customs after being forced to flee their home in desperation.
Charming animation
At the other end of the spectrum, for the children’s screening we chose Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away, which is an intriguing tale about a girl who moves to a new neighbourhood and ends up in an alternate reality after her parents are turned into pigs. She is then forced to work for a witch in a bathhouse in an attempt to find her way back to her own reality and free her parents from the witches spell.
This film was chosen because its simple yet charming animation is easily understandable and enjoyable even without comprehending the language. It makes it the ideal film to show children from any background.
Come along
The screenings, which will take place in the Garnethill Community Centre, will be an opportunity to introduce new and younger audiences to Refugee Week Scotland, giving audiences a unique and fresh perspective on the problems faced by refugees. The event will also be an opportunity to see brilliant cinema for free outwith a cinema environment.
Both screenings are free. Visit the Glasgow Film Theatre website to book.
