Moving Love

I’m still basking in the IFFR glow of watching our young filmmakers from Moving Love having that epiphany of: I am a filmmaker.

They finished the course, they made these films, and so they are deserving of that title: filmmaker. I’m looking forward to the premiere when all of the moving portraits will be seen in one space. At present, we continue to send out feelers for other possible locations as we want to bring these films all over The Netherlands and hopefully beyond The Netherlands.

My role as consultant and coach for this project is coming to a close, but I still feel connected to these young people. I very much wish that as they continue on with their journey, they will be able to find people who will help them grow further in their craft.

On Friday’s IFFR film-showing, I met a young filmmaker from Berlin whose film called Unbelong moved me so much. Pars Loren is a non-binary artist and filmmaker and for those interested in finding out more about them, they have an online presence on instagram.

Unbelong is like a visual poem. It has beautifully haunting imagery combining footage from Pars’s life with other archival footage. All throughout the film, we hear Pars’s voice telling us a story, we are invited to be part of the inner world of the self. Unbelong is vulnerable and intensely personal, and it speaks to us on a plane where we connect with that vulnerability and acknowledge the courage it takes to be so. If you ever have the chance to see this film, I want to encourage you to do so.

Unbelong will be shown during an Anatolian filmmakers in Exile event in Berlin on the 14th of February. This event is a Turkish event. but there will be another showing on the 7th of May at the Frauenzentrum (in Berlin) in English and in German for those who prefer English or German.

Do visit Pars’ website for more details.

On another note: I started organ lessons this Monday and am feeling quite rejuvenated and excited. It’s a feeling pretty similar to when I was studying at the conservatory back home in The Philippines. But where I used to dread piano lessons, I’m looking forward to my organ lessons. I can’t fit an organ in my house, but the digitaal piano has an organ set-up which helps in terms of understanding the difference in technique. I’m starting with the first of Bach’s eight preludes and fugues for the organ and with the second movement of Handel’s Organ Concerto HVW 295, which I’m told is called the Cuckoo concerto.

There are still a number of things to write about, but I thought I’d keep it to this for this post.

May blessings and peace be with you always and thank you for dropping by.

It’s turning out to be quite a busy week on the blog. Sometimes, it’s like that. In conversation with a group of new writers, we talked about this case of intermittent journalling. There are periods when you have lots to write about and periods when you don’t feel like journalling.

It’s often hard for me to process on the spot, and it can be helpful when the buzz of being busy and engaged is more at a distance. I have to admit that I do forget to blog about events, so I’m trying to do better.

I gave a workshop on writing memoir to a group of new writers in connection with a project from Queer Work. Sajad, who is the founder of this organisation is passionate about giving visibility to the stories and the voices of LGBTQ+ asylum seekers in The Netherlands. Not just that, there’s a deeper concern of wanting to equip and empower this group by providing what tools can be provided through workshops and trainings. In this case, the project is one underwritten by Gemeente Amsterdam Noord wherein the municipality asks for voices coming from underrepresented groups in The Netherlands.

I’ll continue to support and be present at these workshops, helping out and facilitating. I do feel a longing for something structural that will allow us to go deeper. I feel like gathering words isn’t enough. Underrepresented voices need more, but there is so little room for that more where institutions are concerned and whether I like it or not, I have to listen to my collaborators when they remind me that I also need to keep watch over my energy. I’m very thankful for this reminder.

Moving Love, which is one of the projects in which I am quite intensely involved with has completed most of its shooting. I love how this project has done what it’s promised to do, which is give participants the foundation for a possible career in filmmaking. The intensive workshop days are behind us, but the lessons into how films are made and the hands-on experience of making one themselves is something participants will carry with them. I’m sure we will see more from these young and talented people.

For the Moving Love team, it’s been a joy to witness participants in their element. They have always wanted to make films, and now they know what it’s like to make one of their own.

On the 6th of February, the first un-edited versions of Moving Love’s Moving Portraits will be shown during the International Film Festival in Rotterdam. It’s quite exciting as some of the participants will also be interviewed during the programme. I’m looking forward to this event.

For those interested and in the area, click on the link. It will lead you to the exact page and let you know where Moving Love will be. I hope to see you there.

Thanks again for dropping by. Blessings and peace and thanks for reading.