The Old Oak – Ken Loach
Funded by The British Film Institute and overseen by Cosmic Cat Films, this community film screening at Tyneside Cinema of The Old Oak by Ken Loach combined conversation followed by a meal, bringing together people in the North-East directly experiencing diaspora as refugees and asylum seekers and the dedicated practitioners working tirelessly to support and enhance their lives. Rachel Eleanor Brook, as a Community Organiser, project managed and delivered the activity in September 2023.
The conversation panel, made up of artists, activists and community leaders, engaged in a post film discussion with the audience. The panel was lead by lecturer in ESOL (English to Speakers of other languages) at Tyne Met College Ben Lowes Smith.
Filiz Sustam is a Kurdish artist, educator and activist who came to the UK with her family from Turkey. She creates traditional Kurdish ceramic art and pottery, a skill she taught others in Turkey before moving to the UK. Filiz was a teaching artist in Turkey and has had her work exhibited in both Turkey and the UK including Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art.
Muzoon Almellehan is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and education activist, advocating for those whose voices have been silenced, ensuring access to education for all children. Muzoon has a BA in International Politics an MA in International Relations, Conflict and Security and is an Honorary Dr. of Law.
Bina Paul is an alumni of the prestigious Film & TV Institute of India, is an acclaimed film editor who has won national & state film awards. She has directed Documentary Films that have been screened at numerous International events and has been the Artistic Director of the International Film Festival of Kerala. She is currently programme head for the Dharamshala International Film Festival, Joint President of Network for the Promotion of Asian & Pacific Cinema. She is a founding member of the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) which works towards building an equitable working space for Women in the Film Industry.
Felour Moghadamy works with Afghan school children, supporting their families in the Northumberland area. They are a project coordinator working with asylum seekers and Refugees for a theatre sanctuary company, in Newcastle upon Tyne and a Trustee of a charity in Gateshead.
All photos by Amelia Read at Ameliaread.com | @ameliajread
Rachel Eleanor Brook 