The films in this program delve into the various practices that keep us connected to our lands. Each of these films is marked by a displacement or disruption from the land that is ours: some are exiled from their homes, while others have never known it from their place in the diaspora. Nevertheless, the connection to the land is maintained through shared experiences that are passed on from generation to generation. These practices include making food, collecting herbs, upholding artistic rituals, preserving family memories, and reimagining ancient tales. The films show that, by carrying out these activities, we also exercise our self-reliance. The land has always provided all that we need to sustain ourselves for decades to come. Even if we are not physically there, we will always remain.
Curated by Nanor Vosgueritchian & Yasmina Tawil
Practical Portals uses an experimental story structure, unfolding through 5 separate vignettes (intro, fire, earth, water, air). The narrative arc follows Marwa’s embodied healing journey, as she grapples with her sense of self and understanding of home. Each element welcomes Marwa into an interior portal where land and spirit present a vital opportunity to release suffering and transmute it into acceptance.
“earth portal”* explores themes of rebirth and resilience through the third eye chakra, accompanied by 852 Hz solfeggio beat that corresponds with this chakra. “earth portal” asks audiences, what is in a name? In Islamic theology, the name Marwa refers to the mountains of Safa and Marwa located in the Hejaz mountain range in Saudi Arabia. The religious significance of this land is rooted in the story of the matriarch Hajar. According to legend, Abraham was instructed to leave Hajar and their infant, Ismail, in a scarce valley. Hajar prayed to God, walking up and down Marwa and Safa 7 times before an angel appeared and water spouted from the place Ismail’s heel hit the ground. Since then, the valley has been known for an abundant water source, today known as the holy water of Zamzam. “earth portal” pays homage to this powerful matriarch as a model for faith and resilience. We see Marwa become the mountain itself, centering herself and grounding into her body. Marwa learns how to be unmoving, how to not yield despite uncertainty. By metabolizing the fear that comes from uncertainty, Marwa is able to transmute the ancestral grief living in her body into awe.
About the Filmmaker:
Marwa is invested in storytelling as an act of transformation. Born from the communities of Omdurman, Sudan, Marwa recognizes the power of story-sharing to bequeath valuable ancestral knowledge and technologies. As a writer, producer and visual artist, she examines embodied narratives of movement, identity, and belonging across diasporic portals. Through a Black, queer, feminist lens she disrupts traditional frameworks of power. Marwa is the founder of Our Political Home (OPH), an art incubator for trans & queer African storytellers, that has been awarded fellowships through The LGBTQ Community Center of NY, The Laundromat Project, and We Are Family Foundation. You can find Marwa's work published in Blavity, Autostraddle, and USA Today. Marwa holds a BA in Political Science and Women and Gender Studies from Boston College.
- Year2022
- Runtime3 minutes
- LanguageEnglish
- CountryUnited States
- Subtitle LanguageEnglish
- DirectorMarwa Eltahir
- ScreenwriterMarwa Eltahir
- ProducerAlsarah Elgadi (Assistant Producer)
- CinematographerAhmed Abdelnabi
- EditorAhmed Abdelnabi
The films in this program delve into the various practices that keep us connected to our lands. Each of these films is marked by a displacement or disruption from the land that is ours: some are exiled from their homes, while others have never known it from their place in the diaspora. Nevertheless, the connection to the land is maintained through shared experiences that are passed on from generation to generation. These practices include making food, collecting herbs, upholding artistic rituals, preserving family memories, and reimagining ancient tales. The films show that, by carrying out these activities, we also exercise our self-reliance. The land has always provided all that we need to sustain ourselves for decades to come. Even if we are not physically there, we will always remain.
Curated by Nanor Vosgueritchian & Yasmina Tawil
Practical Portals uses an experimental story structure, unfolding through 5 separate vignettes (intro, fire, earth, water, air). The narrative arc follows Marwa’s embodied healing journey, as she grapples with her sense of self and understanding of home. Each element welcomes Marwa into an interior portal where land and spirit present a vital opportunity to release suffering and transmute it into acceptance.
“earth portal”* explores themes of rebirth and resilience through the third eye chakra, accompanied by 852 Hz solfeggio beat that corresponds with this chakra. “earth portal” asks audiences, what is in a name? In Islamic theology, the name Marwa refers to the mountains of Safa and Marwa located in the Hejaz mountain range in Saudi Arabia. The religious significance of this land is rooted in the story of the matriarch Hajar. According to legend, Abraham was instructed to leave Hajar and their infant, Ismail, in a scarce valley. Hajar prayed to God, walking up and down Marwa and Safa 7 times before an angel appeared and water spouted from the place Ismail’s heel hit the ground. Since then, the valley has been known for an abundant water source, today known as the holy water of Zamzam. “earth portal” pays homage to this powerful matriarch as a model for faith and resilience. We see Marwa become the mountain itself, centering herself and grounding into her body. Marwa learns how to be unmoving, how to not yield despite uncertainty. By metabolizing the fear that comes from uncertainty, Marwa is able to transmute the ancestral grief living in her body into awe.
About the Filmmaker:
Marwa is invested in storytelling as an act of transformation. Born from the communities of Omdurman, Sudan, Marwa recognizes the power of story-sharing to bequeath valuable ancestral knowledge and technologies. As a writer, producer and visual artist, she examines embodied narratives of movement, identity, and belonging across diasporic portals. Through a Black, queer, feminist lens she disrupts traditional frameworks of power. Marwa is the founder of Our Political Home (OPH), an art incubator for trans & queer African storytellers, that has been awarded fellowships through The LGBTQ Community Center of NY, The Laundromat Project, and We Are Family Foundation. You can find Marwa's work published in Blavity, Autostraddle, and USA Today. Marwa holds a BA in Political Science and Women and Gender Studies from Boston College.
- Year2022
- Runtime3 minutes
- LanguageEnglish
- CountryUnited States
- Subtitle LanguageEnglish
- DirectorMarwa Eltahir
- ScreenwriterMarwa Eltahir
- ProducerAlsarah Elgadi (Assistant Producer)
- CinematographerAhmed Abdelnabi
- EditorAhmed Abdelnabi