Kites, Hearts, Records Fly: A Documentary Premiere Event
Looking for something meaningful to do with your Saturday evening? Why not get inspired by watching kids in the Gaza Strip chase a Guinness World Record? You’ll be supporting a collaborative project that’s been four years in the making, and get to hear about it from the New School faculty members and filmmakers involved. Not quite sold? Then throw in some delicious food to sweeten the deal and let’s just make it free!
This Saturday, Flying Paper, a documentary co-directed by School of Media Studies instructor Nitin Sawhney, will make its New York debut. The film follows Musa, a charismatic teenaged kite-maker in the village of Seifa, and Abeer, an aspiring young journalist in the Jabalya refugee camp. They set out on a remarkable quest, along with thousands of other children, to shatter the Guinness World Record for the most kites ever flown. This unique documentary includes animation and hand-held footage shot by youth in Gaza who were trained by the filmmakers.
The film will screen along with Xik Vuh/Ala De Papel (Paper Wing), a 12-minute short by Guatemalan director Edgar Sajcabun. Afterwards, Melissa Friedling, associate professor of media studies, will moderate a panel discussion featuring Sawhney, his co-director Roger Hill, the film’s supervising editor and fellow media studies instructor, Rafael Parra, and Mona Eldaief, a pioneering filmmaker whose work has appeared on The Discovery Channel, MTV, The Learning Channel, and PBS, to name a few. The evening will conclude with a reception featuring Palestinian food provided by Tanoreen, and a chance to meet the filmmakers.
Visit flyingpaper.org to learn more about the film, and check out The New School calendar event to for more information and the filmmakers’ bios.
Date: Saturday, April 12 Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: John L. Tishman Auditorium, University Center
63 Fifth Avenue, Room U100
Admission is free for the New School community with valid New School ID.
This event is sponsored by the School of Media Studies.