Join us for the screening of ‘L’expérience de ses fantômes (The sound of the ghosts)’ by Yasmine Mahjoubi & Neelansh Mittra and ‘Forging Falafel’ by Raghad Kasim & Vedvanti Machindra Kasture this May.

Neelansh and Vedvanti are scholarship laureates of the International Sound Documentary Summer Programme held at ENS Louis Lumière in Paris, 2023 and their documentaries have travelled to many festivals worldwide!

The short documentary screenings will be followed by discussion with the directors Neelash Mittra and Vedvanti Kasture. The audience can pose their questions on this new and emerging art form and also hear from them about their experience in Paris.

L’EXPÉRIENCE DE SES FANTÔMES / THE SOUND OF THE GHOSTS BY YASMINE MAHJOUBI AND NEELANSH MITTRA

Synopsis: The sound documentary follows Eva, a Spanish tour guide living in Paris for the past 7 years. Eva conducts the ‘Mysteries and Legends Tour’, every week in the heart of the city in Île Saint-Louis. The tour traces the dark history of Paris, where she introduces her audience to the violence that consumed the city in the Middle Ages. Through Eva’s undying passion for discovery, the piece invites the listener to see beyond what is mostly known of Paris today; asking them to patiently observe the city, and listen deeply to the sound of its ghosts

ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS

Neelansh Mittra (India, 28) divides his time between making documentaries and designing sound for films and installations. From 2021-2023, he worked as a director on a documentary series with the Centre for Media and Alternative Communication, which was aimed at drawing attention to the rich and complex history of folk and classical music traditions across India and the livelihoods of musicians who practice them. He has a graduate degree in history (Delhi University) and a diploma in creative documentary filmmaking (Sri Aurobindo Centre for Arts and Communication). A Scholarship Laureate of the International Programme for Sound Documentary at ENS Louis Lumiere in Paris, he continues to explore different ways of working with the medium of sound through his practice.

Yasmine Mahjoubi (Morocco, 27) is a freelance director based in Casablanca, working mainly on documentary projects. In 2021, she directed and edited her first feature – length documentary, Rise Up to the Top, as part of a solidarity project promoting education and entrepreneurship. In 2023, she directed her first short documentary film, In the Mind of a Thief, as part of the Moroccan Stories program run by the SDI (Scottish Documentary Institute), in partnership with Fidadoc (Agadir International Documentary Festival). Her first documentary podcast, Mehdi w Othmane, was produced in 2022 as part of a call for entries by the French Institute in Morocco, in partnership with Les Bonnes Ondes and Making Waves. Yasmine has a degree in Cinema from the Université de Montréal (UDEM).

FORGING FALAFEL BY RAGHAD KASIM & VEDVANTI MACHINDRA KASTURE

Embark on a short auditory adventure with « Forging Falafel ». This audio documentary whisks you from the Middle East to the cultural melting-pot of Paris, unraveling the captivating tale of falafel. Beyond its culinary allure, falafel carries a remarkable narrative of cultural heritage and unexpected conflict.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS

Vedvanti Machindra Kasture (India, 26) is an assistant director in the film and audiovisual industry. A graduate in Journalism from Delhi University and in Direction from the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute in Kolkata, Vedvanti discovered sound recording and production through film. Convinced of its key role, she wants to explore all its creative potential. In 2016, she produced the radio programme Passion to Profession (University’s Community Radio Station). She has worked on the feature film Milestone nominated for the 2020 Venice Film Festival as well as several web series such as Scoop (Matchbox Pictures, Netflix).

Raghad Kasim (Iraq, 33) is a filmmaker, communications & social media specialist and storyteller. As a freelancer, she develops and implements communication campaigns for various organisations. Her creative portfolio boasts a range of film projects, including her debut documentary short Once More (2022), which delves into the essence of what is a homeland. She is committed to addressing the challenges Iraqi and Middle Eastern women face. She uses sound documentaries to amplify their voices, granting them space for unfettered expression and empowerment.