A message of hope: how Syria’s Young Talent film was made
Children in conflicts, Education in emergencies
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The Karbouj brothers are filmed rapping in Lebanon鶹APPs Bekaa Valley
They knew they were looking for talented children. Young refugees who had dealt with huge obstacles after leaving the Syrian conflict behind.
But when the creative film-makers at began hunting for a story of hope to turn into a campaign video, they had no idea what they would discover.
What they found was the Karbouj brothers 鶹APP Samir, Abdulrahman and Mohamed 鶹APP who use rap to tell the story of Syria, of leaving behind their home and of their hopes for the future.
鶹APPWe knew we wanted to capture the story of Syrian children in Lebanon in a less traditional way,鶹APP said Nathan Sam Long, writer and director at the award-winning production company.
鶹APPWe were looking for talent 鶹APP for young people who were overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds.鶹APP
Nathan worked on the project with Silverfish founder Mark Lucas and Dominic Minghella 鶹APP an award-winning screenwriter behind hit British TV series such as Doc Martin and Robin Hood.
The boys are filmed at their school by the film crew
The London-based company 鶹APP which has always cared about causes as well as making films 鶹APP had done a series of projects with A World at School鶹APPs parent charity .
They included a film made for an event in New York last year to mark the handover of 10 million signatures for the #UpForSchool Petition, which demands that world leaders get every child into school.
The Syrian refugee film was also part of the #UpForSchool campaign 鶹APP this time to call on the international community to back the Hope For Syria鶹APPs Young Talent petition and ensure one million Syrian refugee children secure an education this year.
鶹APPWe thought music would be a very good platform for anyone in the world to relate to,鶹APP said Nathan. 鶹APPIt is a universal language. We wanted to show the importance of education for hope.鶹APP
Then came the moment they realised their search had been successful.
Nathan explained: 鶹APPWe were shown a shaky video one day of these kids rapping in a classroom. I鶹APPve always done a lot of work with music videos and so I showed it to people I know. They were struck by how good the boys are.鶹APP
The brothers and their parents watch the finished film at their home
That shaky video had been forwarded by , an educational initiative which 鶹APP has been working with to support innovative ways to get children into school.
鶹APPWe had asked Sonbola if they could find children with particular skills,鶹APP explained Claire Wilkinson, Senior Campaigns and Communications Manager for A World at School. 鶹APPThey showed us a video of two of the brothers rapping in their classroom 鶹APP and they were amazing.鶹APP
After preparatory work, Silverfish and 鶹APP headed to the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon for four days to make the film.
Nathan said: 鶹APPThe boys were very friendly and welcoming but quite shy at first. When we asked them to rap their faces just lit up.
鶹APPAt one point their mother and her neighbour were in tears watching them rap. We were told the lyrics were about the children left in Syria, about 鶹APPspending Eid in the cemetery鶹APP. We then realised how much depth this story really had.鶹APP
This week the finished film 鶹APP titled Straight Outta Syria 鶹APP was sent to Sonbola, who visited the family and projected it on to the wall of their home.
鶹APPThey were very happy with it,鶹APP said Claire. 鶹APPThe boys鶹APP parents said it made them feel as if somebody cares about them.鶹APP
Now watch the video here鶹APP
The film was commissioned by 鶹APP and produced by Silverfish. It was directed by Nathan Sam Long. The producer was Hannah Salvanes McLean, the executive producers were Mark Lucas and Dominic Minghella, the director of photography was Michael Lagerwey and the music composer was Luis Issermann.
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