AROUND THE SOUP | Heart and head | ARTISTIC PROGRAMMING
KIDS CORNER | THE HISTORY COURSE! | SCHEDULE
In translation
Exile, loss and starting over are themes that have inspired numerous artists. Art helps many people through difficult times. Here are some artistic works that cover the topic using a dreamlike approach...
LIVE PERFORMANCES | VISUAL ARTS | WORKSHOPS | CINEMA
LIVE PERFORMANCES
ZAMAN
Friday 8:30pm
Since 2013, Lamia and Ensemble Zaman have been introducing Western audiences to the traditional vocal music of the Levant, from Cairo to Alep. For this program, the trio is comprised of Lamia Yared on oud and vocals; Nathaniel Huard on percussion, riqq and bendir; and Yosof Al Yosof, on Oriental flute.
They have played the following venues and festivals since 2013: Maison de la culture du Plateau Mont-Royal; Maison de la culture de Parc Extension-Villeray; Festival Accès Asie (collaborative work with videographers); Mots sur Mesure at the Maison de la culture Ahunstic; Festival des traditions du Monde in Sherbrooke; three consecutive years at the Place des Arts as part of the Festival du Monde Arabe; the Festival des cultures syriennes de Montréal; and a benefit concert for the Syrian Kids Foundation.
In collaboration with 
LAS MECHAS
Saturday 8:30pm
MECHAS is an all-female arts collective that follows in the musical tradition of Veracruz, Mexico's Son Jarocho sound. Members Martha Romero, Silvia Martinez, Eloisa Contreras, Ariana Vilaboa, Juan Mendoza and Léa Touzé write empowering songs for women. They will be accompanied on stage by other passionate artists!
MERYEM SACI
Sunday 6pm
en français sous peu. Meryem Saci is a soulful singer, songwriter and MC with a vibrant vocal range that reflects the diverse influences of her upbringing. She commands the stage with her powerful voice, and eclectic fusion of sounds ranging from R&B, Hip Hop, Soul/jazz, Reggae to celebrating resilience with primal, high energy Aftro-Arabian rhythms and compelling melodies. Born and raised by her single mother in Algeria, the two were forced to escape the civil war and immigrated as political refugees to Montreal, Canada.
TRAVERSÉE
Satuday 5pm
A reading in French and in Québec Sign Language of a text by Estelle Savasta.
Stage direction: Milena Buziak.
A production of Voyageurs Immobiles.
Nour is growing up with her nanny, Youmna. Youmna is beautiful and gentle. She sees the orange tree. She is deaf. Nour and Youmna are close; there is nothing that Nour does not share with Youmna. And yet, one day Nour must leave Youmna behind to go to a far-off land where girls are allowed to go to school, even with messed-up hair if they want. On stage, Hodan Youssouf, a deaf actor, and Florence Blain Mbaye, a hearing actor, tell the story, each in their language. Traversée is a tale of exile, subconscious heritage, spiritual development, separation, and the necessity of starting over.
LA RUÉE VERS L’AUTRE
Sunday 5:30pm
Born on Réunion Island and continuing a long tradition of immigrants from Mauritius, Madagascar, Sicily, Algeria and France, Mafane first began reflecting on the question of migration when she, in turn, left her native country to settle in Québec. How does one leave one's roots behind? What is the most precious thing one takes when leaving? How does one adapt to the host society? These considerations informed La ruée vers l’autre, a series of four tales that deal with uprooting, the loss of one's bearings and reference points, culture shock, but also dreams, hope, resilience and new ties.
LA SOUPE DU SIÈGE
Friday 5:30pm
The public is invited to an immersive experience that allows them to better understand what Syria's besieged people are going through. A group of Syrian artists will “cook” the “siege soup” and invite the public to visit their tent to taste, feel, hear and experience a siege. This will be followed by discussion and a call to action so that members of the public may make a gesture of solidarity.
ESPACE NODAL
Friday 5:30 - In translation
Roundtable/show with IVY and second-generation Quebecers
Let yourself fall under the spell of slam artist IVY's original texts that describe all kinds of experiences and plunge you into his constantly shifting universe. The moments that leave an indelible mark, the objects that follow us, the suitcase that is our home... Come hear IVY reveal these small and big stories.
Roundtable: Second-generation citizens in a pluralistic Québec society: histories and identities
Children of immigrants, raised or born in Québec, known as the second generation, are an identity puzzle, combining pieces from here and from there, the product of departure and exile. Theirs is the baggage of a history that only partially belongs to them; theirs is a difference sometimes too visible for some or completely invisible for others. Come talk with unique individuals brought together for an event that shines a spotlight on the complexity and beauty of their paths.
JOHN JOUE LA COMÉDIE!
Dimanche 16h30 - ABRI # 3
My name is John Nyembo. I am originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, where I was a language professor. Theatre has been a passion of mine since I was a child, and led to my being the director of the Alliance Française theatre company in Gaborone, Botswana. I spend my time writing: I write short stories, jokes, poems, and more. Socializing is another important activity for me, as it allows me to discover and appreciate other cultures. My big character flaw is that when I'm in public, I can't help but be excited: I tend to ask lots of questions in order to find out more, and to make sure people aren't falling asleep on me, and to get a smile on everyone's face. Food is yet another important part of my life; if something is edible, I'll eat it!
John offers a comedy performance. (And a soup on Sunday at 3 p.m.!)
Les soeurs-diseuses
Sunday 4 p.m.
Mireille and Maguy Métellus read some excerpts from texts by Haitian authors that deal with departure from the native land and arrival in the host society.
COUSCOUS COMEDY SHOW
Friday 10pm
The Couscous Comedy Show by UncleFofi is a combination comedy/variety show and dinner created in 2009 by Montreal-based, Algerian-born comedian, producer and cook UncleFofi, a.k.a. Fares Mekideche. The show features music, magic, and a whole lot of yucks, all served up with some delicious Algerian-style couscous. An original multicultural comedy show.
ARAM BAYAT
Saturday 3:30pm- In translation
A member of the now defunct Iranian National Folk Dance Institute in Teheran, Aram Bayat fled her native land after the Islamic revolution took root. The young graduate had to give up dance because the Ayatollah's regime declared it to be blasphemous. She has lived in Montreal ever since, and in 1988 founded the dance troupe Khorshid Khanoom Dance Group. She will talk about her experiences as a refugee, and her students will perform a choreographed dance.
Aram Bayat is also a fierce advocate for women's rights and a staunch supporter of the legacy of Iranian dance. Her story is the subject of Lila Ghobady's 2008 documentary Forbidden Sun Dance, which will be screened at Cuisine ta ville on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.
http://www.cultureunplugged.com/documentary/watch-online/play/4265/Forbidden-Sun-Dance
VISUAL ARTS
En tout temps. Notez que les abris sont multifonctionnels et présentent des spectacles et prises de paroles avec les expositions.
ARRIMAGE(S)
Lilia Bitar is of Syrian and Russian origin and moved to Montreal with her family 16 years ago. A member of Concordia University's Oral History Centre, she is particularly interested in life stories and in poetry, both written and visual, and her aim is to bring about a cathartic experience of inclusion through art. Arrimage(s) consists of 4 video testimonials by new arrivals from Syria and the volunteers working with them, accompanied by video poems inspired by these testimonials. The video poems serve as catalysts to help move beyond the challenges faced and toward a creative integration into the new host society. The artist will be present and available for discussion at the start of the event (time to be discussed).
To find out more: https://liliabitar.wordpress.com/
In collaboration with
CES OBJETS QUI PARLENT DE NOUS
With issues surrounding immigration continuing to divide people, and uncomfortable with the way these issues are represented in the media, Frédérique P. Corson and Thisbée Kolk conducted their own enquiry in the hopes of getting closer to Montreal's refugees. Over the course of many encounters, they asked refugees to tell their stories through the objects they brought with them. These objects of immigration bear witness to the identities of the refugees and serve as a pretext for sharing anecdotes and bringing people together. Looking beyond frontiers, Frédérique and Thisbée seek to know what unites us, through the souvenirs of whence we came.
More to know : https://vimeo.com/164770953
OPEN THE BORDERS
Back from refugee camps in Greece, where they spent six intense months, Gabrielle and Céline tell us about the day-to-day lives of the people who were turned away at Europe's borders when they sought refuge there. Through photographs and their story, Gabrielle and Céline point out the humanity in the midst of inhuman conditions, the resilience of those who have lost everything, and the solidarity that prevails because it knows no borders.
To find out more: https://www.facebook.com/refugeelibrary/
https://www.facebook.com/EkoProject/
In collaboration with
TERRE D'ACCUEIL
Exhibition under the theme “Terre d’accueil” showcasing posters created as part of the student competition organized by the Société des designers graphiques du Québec (SDGQ) for its Marc H. Choko scholarships. The competition aims to develop students' skills and passion for poster design, and is concerned specifically with posters promoting a social cause. The project was developed in collaboration with the Centre social d’aide aux immigrants to help mark the 375th anniversary of the founding of Montreal and the 150th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation.
"juste un accueil sincère..."
A documentary photo project that captures the reality of the refugee experience for Syrian families newly arrived in Montreal and the sense of connection they have established with the dedicated volunteers and organizations supporting them through the integration process. Our history and heritage are shaped yet again by our great diversity.
Stephanie Colvey is a Montreal-based photographer. www.stephaniecolvey.com
L’INSTANT DU DANGER
Artist talk Sunday 11:30am
Charles-Henri Debeur values the social potential of the camera, that device which permits the user to discover and understand the wide diversity of the “human landscape.” He offers an exhibition of snapshots, including some previously unseen ones taken for his 2012 book, L'instant du danger, written in collaboration with psychoanalyst Michel Peterson. Critically acclaimed for its portrayal of forced exile and his reflections thereon, the book is equallya showcase for the effort of encounter that Charles-Henri is still making and it offers him the opportunity to turn the spotlight on what the other will allow to develop. It took three years to see the light of day, thanks to the generous contributions of anonymous persons, who sometimes put their life at risk, the unwavering support of Michel Peterson, and Charles-Henri's own sweat, but his came true, and he enjoyed complete freedom as to his artistic approach. During the exhibition, Charles-Henri will be glad to chat with you. Copies of his book will be available for purchase.
To find out more, visit https://www.facebook.com/LifePHOTOGRAPHER
PREMIERS FLASHS À MONTRÉAL
Flash Forward was inspired by the Photovoice platform, through which marginalized groups are able to express themselves through photography. Cameras were lent to 12 Syrian youth aged 15 to 19 so they could document their personal integration process during their first year in Canada, from their point of view. The project's aim was to get them to overcome the linguistic barrier and empower them to tell their own story, so that they could be perceived as Montrealers, artists, and full members of their new society.
This project of Amina Jalabi was made in collaboration with SINGA Québec. We are thankful for the support of our partners, La Maison de la Photo and World Press Photo Montréal.
no way home
Renaud Philippe (1984) grew up and lives in Québec City. A freelance photojournalist, he has worked in Haiti, India, Nepal, Thailand, Kenya, Tunisia and Canada, exploring the themes of exclusion and exile with empathy for those victims of war, injustice or natural disaster who have had to abandon everything. Here, he offers us a photo essay on the situation of Bhutanese refugees. In the early 1900s, hundreds of farm families left Nepal to settle in Bhutan. In the 1980s, the One Nation, One People campaign sought to support the Bhutanese national identity through the enactment, in 1985, of the Citizenship Act; the Lhotshampa people suddenly became personae non gratae in the country in which they were born, and they were forced into exile. Each week, between 200 and 400 refugees climb aboard the IOM (International Organization for Migration) bus to rebuild their lives in a world where all their points of reference are gone. Over 1,000 of them have settled in Québec City. This series is their story.
WORKSHOPS
BALAFON WORKSHOP
Friday 7pm
As a theatre graduate of the Institut National des Arts, Adama Daou was involved in many projects with the Acte Sept company in both France and Mali. It was during this time he was spotted by the French troupe Lo’jo and invited to perform at the Nuits Toucouleurs festival in France. In 2000, Adama moved to Paris and embarked on a series of concerts and tours in France and across Europe. Among the many festivals he has played: the Printemps de Bourges, Solidays, Festival du Bout du Monde, Africolor, Africajarc, the Avignon Festival, the Montreux Jazz Festival, and more. During this time, he also organized and taught courses in percussion and African dance in France, Guyana and Mali. In late 2011, Adama settled in Montreal with the aim of introducing Mali's percussion instruments to the public, which he did by organizing musical collaborations with other artists, percussion workshops for all types of audiences, and sociocultural activities.
https://www.facebook.com/adama.daoumusicien.9?fref=ts This activity is presented by Centre Afrika http://www.centreafrika.net/
WORKSHOP AND PRESENTATION_ANNE BIRO
Sunday 12h
Anna Biro will be offering a live weaving workshop for the public and presenting her work Text in Textile.
Born in Transylvania, Romania, Anna Biro lives and works in Montreal. She is currently involved in the development and refinement of computer applications in textile processes, deploying textiles as a link between technologies, cultural histories and personal memories.
Text in Textile is a multidisciplinary, interactive project that features fabric woven from recycled audio and video cassette tapes in conjunction with retro-reflective split yarn. Sensors generate fragments of narratives from an archive of recorded interviews with recent immigrants to Montreal, in conjunction with sounds and voices of a more personal nature. Text in Textile functions as a metaphor for the fabric of our society, our interconnectedness as social beings, and a personal desire for communication.
HISTOIRE DE...RACONTÉ PAR...
Saturday 12h
A workshop where participants can write collectively, share their life stories, and put them into words, images or plays. In order to learn about themselves, or to reinvent themselves perhaps. A way to meet one another through words and theatre, and to have fun blurring the line between reality and fiction. Presented in collaboration with SINGA Québec.
Host Pascale Rafie is a playwright, professor and cultural mediator. Her most recent play, La Recette de baklawas, will be adapted into English at Montreal's Centaur Theatre in January 2018.
CINEMA
VIRTUAL-REALITY | FEATURE-LENGTH FILMS | SHORT FILMS & SHORTS SELECTION
VIRTUAL REALITY
CLOUDS OVER SIDRA ( 2015)
8 minutes
Several augmented-reality stations are available for viewing this film, with a supervisor on hand to explain their use.
Friday 5 to 11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday: 3 to 9 p.m.
Meet Sidra. This charming 12-year-old girl will guide you through her temporary home, the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan. Zaatari is home to 130,000 Syrians fleeing violence and war, and children make up half the camp’s population. In this lyrical VR film, Sidra leads you through her day-to-day life: eating, sleeping, learning, and playing in the vast desert city of tents. Creators: Gabo Arora, Chris Milk.
in collaboration with
FEATURE-LENGTH FILMS
UNE NUIT SANS LUNE (2016)
Saturday 6:30pm with the directors
A film by Thi Be Nguyen and Marie Hélène Panisset (Uniaction) - 1 hr 26
On April 30, 1975, the totalitarian communist regime of North Vietnam overthrew the democratic government of South Vietnam. Thousands of Vietnamese chose to flee. Une nuit sans lune — Boat People, 40 ans après follows their path to freedom. Thanks to their vibrant testimonials, the film recounts the crossing by sea, sometimes by land, of men, women and children in order to find a life of justice and dignity.
NOUS AUTRES, LES AUTRES (2016)
Sunday 7pm, with the director
A film by Jean-Claude Coulbois - 1 hr 23
The film plunges the viewer into the universe of four author-actor-directors and one actor whose works speak of the urgent need to view society through a different lens. They all live in Montreal, a quirky, bilingual city increasingly uneasy about its identity. A city at the crossroads of tradition and modernity. Nous autres, les autres is a filmic essay in which identities are no longer defined by taking a stand, but rather by one's path. It is the third part of the Un miroir sur la scène trilogy that spans a 50-year history of Québec through its experimental theatre.
in collaboration with Les Films du 3 mars
LA MAIN ET LES AUTRES (2015)
Saturday 3:30 pm- with the director
A film by Paul Carvalho - 53 min.
Montreal's great cosmopolitan artery, Saint-Laurent Blvd., aka The Main, has a rich, important history deeply imprinted by three communities who have occupied it: the Chinese, Jews and Italians. It was the first path from inside the walls of Old Montreal to the heart of the island. And it is where most of the foreigners and new arrivals are to be found. The film takes a look at these three large cultural communities and their relationship with francophone Québec.
EXIL (2014)
Sunday 5pm
A film by Charles-Olivier Michaud - 1 hr 39
Samuel is a young Haitian man traumatized by the kidnapping of his father, a journalist. After the father's disappearance, Samuel is cared for by his nanny, who brings him to the countryside, where her family lives. When he learns that his mother, whom he thought had died, fled to the United States by ship while he was still an infant, he decides to set out for America to find her. Along the way, he meets various characters who assist him, including some drug dealers. He arrives in New York City, then travels north to Montreal, where a social worker helps give his journey meaning.
in collaboration with Filmoption
FUOCOAMMARE (2016)
Friday 9pm
A film by Gianfranco Rosi - 1 hr 54
Situated some 200km off Italy's southern coast, Lampedusa has hit world headlines in recent years as the first port of call for hundreds of thousands of African and Middle Eastern migrants hoping to make a new life in Europe. Rosi spent months living on the Mediterranean island, capturing its history, culture and the current everyday reality of its 6,000-strong local population as hundreds of migrants land on its shores on a weekly basis.
in collaboration with Eye Steel film
IN THIS WORLD (2003)
Sunday 8:30pm
A film by Michael Winterbottom - 1 hr 28
The film follows two young Afghan refugees, Jamal Udin Torabi and Enayatullah, as they leave a refugee camp in Pakistan for a better life in London. Since their journey is illegal, it is fraught with danger, and they must use back-channels, bribes, and smugglers to achieve their goal.
in collaboration with Métropole Films
L’ARBRE QUI SE SOUVIENT (2003)
Sunday 2pm
A film by Massoud Raouf - 50 min. (English with French subtitles)
This feature-length documentary presents interviews with former Iranian political prisoners now living in Canada and who, like director Massoud Raouf, fought for democracy under the brutal regime of the Ayatollah Khomeini. Combining testimonials of atrocities, archive footage, and brilliantly evocative animation, Raouf honours the memory of the victims of the struggle and the resilience of the survivors.
in collaboration with :
LE PONT DE L’EXIL (1997)
Sunday 3:30pm
A film by Jean-Pierre Gariépy - 51 min.
Is it possible to uproot a tree and plant it in new soil, in a new world? Four exiles who have found refuge in Montreal—men and women from Iran, Bosnia, Burundi and Algeria—are faced with such an uprooting and must redefine their lives. How do they cope with the many challenges inherent in exile and in starting over? Combining archive footage, dramatizations and animation, this film follows them on their journey and helps us better understand their experience.
En collaboration avec :
SHORT FILMS & SHORTS SELECTION
LES CASQUES BLANCS (2016)
Friday 5:30pm, Saturday 10pm, Sunday 7pm
A film by Orlando Von Einsiedel - 41 min.
As daily airstrikes pound civilian targets in Syria, a group of indomitable first responders risk their lives to rescue victims from the rubble.
LE PRIX DE L’EXODE (2006)
Saturday 8pm
A film by Bruno Boulianne and Loreto Garrido - 27 min.
Each year, at peril of their lives, thousands of Africans exile themselves abroad in search of a brighter future. In Mali, as with all countries in the region, the situation is catastrophic. Among those fleeing are society's most underprivileged, but also people with an education who could contribute to the country's development, were it not that jobs are scarce and the future seems a dead end. Meet some young people who dream of leaving, desert castaways who keep trying to, and the activists fighting to help them.
NON AU 3IÈME MANDAT (2017)
Friday 8pm, Saturday 7pm
A film by Joseph Bitamba - 30 min.
Joseph Bitamba is a native of Burundi, where he worked for the national television service. He undertook several apprenticeships in Belgium, France and Burkina Faso and earned a certificate in screenwriting at the École Internationale de Bordeaux, as well as a certificate in film production management at Paris' Institut national de l’audiovisuel (INA), before settling in Toronto in 2003. His documentaries have been broadcast on Radio-Canada, TFO and TV5, and he works as a director and reporter for TFO. In 2017, he made a Web documentary titled Non au 3e Mandat , which attracted over 15,000 views in five days.
Joseph Bitamba has worked on several film and research projects in collaboration with various international bodies (UN, New York Times, Vice News, the International Crisis Group (ICG), the Canadian Institute for Conflict Resolution (CICR), Law Group, Save the Children). When time permits, he is also a speaker on topics related to reconciliation and mediation.
19 JOURS (2016)
Saturday 9pm
A film by Asha Siad and Roda Siad (National Film Board) - 26 min.
This short film follows several refugee families over the first 19 days of their adventure in Canada, a period of time established by the federal government in which it conducts an initial evaluation of their cases. It shows the human side of the process of relocating refugees, offering a unique take on the international migration crisis from the standpoint of refugees' arrival in the asylum country. The documentary takes an unflinching look at the realities faced by refugees along the hard road to integration.
En collaboration avec :
FORBIDDEN SUN DANCE (2009)
Saturday 2:30pm
A film by Lila Ghobady - 32 min.
Ms. Aram Bayat reveals the story of her political exile from Iran and her desire to preserve the tradition of Persian dance while residing in Montreal, Canada since 1988. For more information, please visit: www.banoufilm.blogspot.com
SHORTS SELECTION
These very short films run in a continuous loop between screenings of the short and feature-length films - 31 min.
AUTOUR D’UNE TABLE (2013)
by Parissa Mohit - 11 min.
Some interesting stories are sometimes revealed over a cup of coffee.
Parissa Mohit is an animator and filmmaker residing in Montreal. She is a graduate from Concordia University, Mel Hoppenheim school of cinema in Film Animation and Theatre design at Tehran art university.
Parissa Mohit has directed several animation films and installations as well as numerous collaborations on different videos, documentaries and film animation projects. She has received several grants from SODEC (La Société de développement des entreprises culturelles) in 2013 and 2015, Canada council of arts in 2015 and Quebec council of arts in 2014. She has been the selected artist for the M.A.I. (Montréal arts interculturelles) and PRIM mentorship,residency in 2012. She is currently working on the production of her animation film"Une Visite/ A visit".
GOAL TO SYRIA
by Amjad Wardeh- 4 min
Goal to Syria is a creative short animation directed by Syrian Animator & Filmmaker Amjad Wardeh about the heroism of Syrian Civil Defense (known as White Helmets)
RETIRANTES (“The Migrants”)
Retirantes tells the story of a woman travelling through an arid, depopulated region, unable to feed her baby. It presents a dreamlike vision that uses the unique elements of the area where the film is set. A religious procession praying for help, children, local peasants and a group playing traditional music are some of the figures who appear in this sensitive, magical portrait of a suffering people and their difficulties and idiosyncrasies
LA MÉMOIRE EST NOTRE PATRIE
Trailer. By Jonathan Durand - 3 min. Release in Fall 2017.
Memory Is Our Homeland is a documentary film charting the lost story of Polish refugees in Africa from 1942 to 1952—a journey that brought a group of children through Siberia, Iran, India, and East Africa, to new lives in Montreal, Sheffield, and throughout the global Polish diaspora.