The First Movie
The First Movie, Velika Britanija, 2009
Suitable for children 10+.
directed by Mark Cousins
screenplay Mark Cousins
cinematography Mark Cousins
music Melissa Hui
sound Brent Calkin
editing Timotheus Langer
featuring otroci iz Goptape (Irak)/children from Goptapa (Iraq)
producers Trish Dolman, Gill Parry
production CONNECTFilm Ltd, T +44 (0) 131 661 18 94, E gillparry@connectfilm.co.uk
world sales CONNECTFilm Ltd, T +44 (0) 131 661 18 94, E gillparry@connectfilm.co.uk
format digiBeta
running time 76'
This documentary suitable for children from the age of 10 is a film about film as perceived by children at a Kurdistan village in Iraq who, until the director’s visit, didn’t know anything about film.
This magical documentary film illustrates the life of children in the region of northern Iraq, Kurdistan. It tells the story of how the children use narratives and films in the hardship of their daily lives. The director Mark Cousins wants to know how children in the war zone dream and what their imaginary worlds are. Thus, he sets off to the village Goptapa, which has a population of seven hundred people. Due to Ramadan, the adults stay in their homes, which extends the place for contact between the children and the film crew in the street and results in a relationship that is most reminiscent of the story-telling. The kids tell Mark about their desires, distresses and imaginary journeys. Mark listens and encourages them to express themselves in the most creative manner. He has three cameras, a screen and a projector. He shows the kids the following film classics: The Boot (Chakmeh, Mohammad-Ali Talebi, 1993), ET: The Extra-Terrestrial (Steven Spielberg, 1982), Palle Alone in the World (Palle alene i verden, Astrid Henning-Jensen, 1949) and The Red Balloon (Le ballon rouge, Albert Lamorisse, 1956). The best children’s films of all time are at the same time the first films that these children have ever watched. Then, Mark gives them cameras, and the power of spoken words evolves ever more into the power of pictures. The film is composed of shots taken by the children and thus becomes a film about film as perceived by children.
Mark Cousins and the producer, Gill Parry, have kept contact with Goptapa’s inhabitants to this day. The children have fallen in love with film and they want to make films themselves. Mark and Gill collect cameras and other equipment and regularly deliver them to Goptapa. The war village has transformed into a children’s film village.
Mark Cousins
Mark Cousins has made documentaries on Neo-Nazism, Gorbachev, the first Gulf War, Iranian cinema, Ian Hamilton Finlay and the film I Know Where I’m Going! He’s published four books, among which is The Story of Film, a history of cinema translated into ten languages, including Chinese. He has been the director of the Edinburgh International Film Festival, the festival which he brought to Sarajevo during the siege, has co-directed the festival Cinema China, and has guest curated film fests around the world.
Schedule:
Suitable for children 10+.
directed by Mark Cousins
screenplay Mark Cousins
cinematography Mark Cousins
music Melissa Hui
sound Brent Calkin
editing Timotheus Langer
featuring otroci iz Goptape (Irak)/children from Goptapa (Iraq)
producers Trish Dolman, Gill Parry
production CONNECTFilm Ltd, T +44 (0) 131 661 18 94, E gillparry@connectfilm.co.uk
world sales CONNECTFilm Ltd, T +44 (0) 131 661 18 94, E gillparry@connectfilm.co.uk
format digiBeta
running time 76'
This documentary suitable for children from the age of 10 is a film about film as perceived by children at a Kurdistan village in Iraq who, until the director’s visit, didn’t know anything about film.
This magical documentary film illustrates the life of children in the region of northern Iraq, Kurdistan. It tells the story of how the children use narratives and films in the hardship of their daily lives. The director Mark Cousins wants to know how children in the war zone dream and what their imaginary worlds are. Thus, he sets off to the village Goptapa, which has a population of seven hundred people. Due to Ramadan, the adults stay in their homes, which extends the place for contact between the children and the film crew in the street and results in a relationship that is most reminiscent of the story-telling. The kids tell Mark about their desires, distresses and imaginary journeys. Mark listens and encourages them to express themselves in the most creative manner. He has three cameras, a screen and a projector. He shows the kids the following film classics: The Boot (Chakmeh, Mohammad-Ali Talebi, 1993), ET: The Extra-Terrestrial (Steven Spielberg, 1982), Palle Alone in the World (Palle alene i verden, Astrid Henning-Jensen, 1949) and The Red Balloon (Le ballon rouge, Albert Lamorisse, 1956). The best children’s films of all time are at the same time the first films that these children have ever watched. Then, Mark gives them cameras, and the power of spoken words evolves ever more into the power of pictures. The film is composed of shots taken by the children and thus becomes a film about film as perceived by children.
Mark Cousins and the producer, Gill Parry, have kept contact with Goptapa’s inhabitants to this day. The children have fallen in love with film and they want to make films themselves. Mark and Gill collect cameras and other equipment and regularly deliver them to Goptapa. The war village has transformed into a children’s film village.
Mark Cousins
Mark Cousins has made documentaries on Neo-Nazism, Gorbachev, the first Gulf War, Iranian cinema, Ian Hamilton Finlay and the film I Know Where I’m Going! He’s published four books, among which is The Story of Film, a history of cinema translated into ten languages, including Chinese. He has been the director of the Edinburgh International Film Festival, the festival which he brought to Sarajevo during the siege, has co-directed the festival Cinema China, and has guest curated film fests around the world.
Schedule:
- Wednesday, 8. 6., 13.00, Kulturni dom
- Saturday, 11. 6., 17.00, Kulturni dom
