Gloucester Guildhall celebrates refugee and migrant stories at Platforma Festival this November

5th November 2023

The day will kick off with VOYAGE: Cook Speak Eat, a journey through the senses.

Come along to the Café for art activities and street food from 2pm until 6:30pm.

A screening of Name Me Lawand, winner of the Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival, will take place at 2:30pm.

Name Me Lawand explores the experiences of young Kurdish boy Lawand after he leaves Iraq in search of a better life. After a treacherous journey and a year in a refugee camp, the help of a deaf volunteer brings them to Derby where Lawand joins the Royal School for the Deaf.

In this moving and inspiring portrait, we follow Lawand’s evolution from extreme isolation in new surroundings to becoming able to be his true self. This is a story about the strength that language gives us, whatever form it takes, and of the power of friendship and community.

There will also be an insightful post screening discussion with Producer Beyan Taher and Laith Elzubaidi from Counterpoint Arts about representations of displacement in film.

DJ Liam Large will supply a soundtrack of deep and percussive sounds from Latin America, the Caribbean and East Africa to accompany a delicious pay as you choose feast from 6pm.

Closing the festival will be a special performance from the brilliant No Direction Home collective, hosted by Stella Graham with guest headliner Sami Abu Wardeh.


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Image Credit: BFI Distribution

Alt Image Text: Name Me Lawand promotional image with picture of Lawand running in wheat field