Commission: Call for Arab Artists, Filmmakers and Animators

Yemeni Poemfilms
Call for Arab Artists, Filmmakers and Animators

The University of Liverpool and University of Leeds, in collaboration with Liverpool Arab Arts Festival, are working on a series of community projects with the Yemeni community in the UK. This work has generated new poems which have directly responded to poems and stories by contemporary poets in Yemen.

We are now looking to commission Arab filmmakers to create poemfilms – works combining poetry and film – that respond to these new poems.

  • Your production will be an original response to a given poem – which is no more than 1 side of A4 – and last between 2 – 5 minutes.
  • You can work in any film media, but animation is welcome.
  • The final soundtrack should be able to be translated into both English and Arabic and be accessible to a general audience.
  • The poemfilm can offer its own interpretation of the poem, but should be in general sympathy with the poet’s original work.

The poemfilms, which will be shown in a variety of settings across the UK and internationally, will launched at Liverpool Arab Arts Festival in July 2020.

The fee for each poemfilm will be £2k. This should cover all expenditure.

Further examples of poemfilms can be found at http://filmpoem.com and http://poetryfilmlive.com/about/

How to apply

  • Contact details (name, email and phone number) Please note this commission is open to both UK-based and international applicants.
  • Short biography
  • Web links or examples of previous film work (no more than 5 examples)
  • Proposed outline of your poemfilm – this would be how you would approach production (e.g. style, content, ideas.) Please note that your poem and further information will be provided following discussions with the project team following your successful proposal.
  • Outline budget for your poemfilm.

Please send all documents, files links via WeTransfer to admin@arabicartsfestival.co.uk

Deadline for applications: 5pm (GMT), Monday 3 February 2020.

For more information, please email admin@arabicartsfestival.co.uk

Image: Sheffield Yemen in Conflict poetry workshop. Courtesy of Taher Qassim.