Reel Syria (2012)
Reel Syria aimed to present a nuanced portrait of the country and its people and raise funds for humanitarian aid to help those caught up in the violence and repression in Syria.
Highlights of the festival included a panel discussion featuring world famous Syrian caricaturist Ali Ferzat, Asian Dub Foundation‘s Steve Chandra Savale, Syrian novelists Manhal Alsarraj and Donatella Della Ratta and a Syrian film programme as part of DoxBox Global Day 2012 including a screening of A Flood in Ba’ath Country directed by the late, celebrated Syrian documentary maker Omar Amiralay.
There was a very unusual performance of Score 328: SURROUND by ‘The17’, an international public performance project conceived by artist/author/musician Bill Drummond (KLF), readings by Syrian novelists including Ghalia Kabbani and a major fundraising concert featuring Samih Choukeir which raised over £36,000 for humanitarian aid for Syria in association with Mosaic Initiative for Syria.
