The Land of Common Disgrace is a collaborative live documentary by Palestinian artist and filmmaker Saeed Taji Farouky, exploring protest, policing, political activism and the representation of Palestinian resistance in Britain.
Rather than making the film behind closed doors, the project brings together collective set-building, live filmmaking and devised theatre, treating filmmaking itself as a social and collaborative process.
Activists who have been on trial for direct action against weapons factories will work together with members of the public to build a re-creation of the witness box, and develop and stage filmed re-enactment of parts of their trials. Come help them build the set, watch the re-enactments, meet a community of activists, and learn more about protest against the arms industry.
No filmmaking, theatre or DIY experience is needed, and everyone is welcome.
SCHEDULE
Tuesday 20th October, 10am–6pm: Collective set build
Wednesday 21 October, 10am–6pm: Collective set build
Thursday 22 October, 9am–5pm: Live Documentary filming & set destruction
COLLECTIVE SET BUILD
October 20 & 21, 10am - 6pm
Drop in any time, no tickets or reservations are necessary, to help us design and build the set. No previous construction or design experience is necessary, and we will give you an induction to the use of basic tools. You can get hands-on, stay for a conversation, watch the process or move between different activities.
If you have more experience with DIY tools, we’d love you to volunteer to be part of the core construction team. All we require is a commitment to a time slot, and a collaborative and friendly spirit. Please fill in this simple form with your availability and skills
About the project
The Land of Common Disgrace is an ongoing project that uses collective filmmaking and performance to examine the project's central themes of protest, policing, criminal justice and the representation of Palestinian suffering and resilience.
Its central method is simple: people build the environments of the film together, and those acts of building become part of the project itself. The performances are designed to empower activists, build stronger solidarity networks, and reveal to the public the otherwise hidden process of putting activists on trial. Together, activists, filmmakers, and members of the public challenge the criminalisation of protest and suppression of freedom of speech.
About Saeed Taji Farouky
Saeed Taji Farouky is a Palestinian artist and filmmaker whose work has explored conflict, human rights and anti-imperialism since 2005. Alongside filmmaking, he teaches and leads workshops around alternative and collective approaches to cinema and is the designer and lead tutor of the Radical Film School.