In May 2015, I went to Russia for the first time, to give a 5 day training workshop to 14 Russian filmmakers in Arkhangelsk, North of Russia, close to the White sea.
I was producing 7 short films, part of an international project Stories from the Heart for the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Disease, about cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Russia, which has the highest mortality rate of CVD in the world.
I was producing 7 short films, part of an international project Stories from the Heart for the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Disease, about cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Russia, which has the highest mortality rate of CVD in the world.
The project allowed me to develop a new training format, in which I could merge all of my filmmaking experience as well as elements from the Shake Your Gift workshop. This has been very exciting and innovative work for me and I am continuing to explore and improve this new approach to filmmaking
training.
It was fascinating to be in this remote part of the world, giving me the opportunity to completely immerse myself in Russian culture, literature and history. I worked with a lovely team in the UK led by epidemiologist Prof David Leon and was helped by a wonderful team from the Northern State Medical University of Arkhangelsk.
The workshop was intense, stimulating and greatly appreciated despite the language barrier. The translators and the production coordinator did a great job, without them it would have been impossible to do this work. The door to Russia has now been opened!
training.
It was fascinating to be in this remote part of the world, giving me the opportunity to completely immerse myself in Russian culture, literature and history. I worked with a lovely team in the UK led by epidemiologist Prof David Leon and was helped by a wonderful team from the Northern State Medical University of Arkhangelsk.
The workshop was intense, stimulating and greatly appreciated despite the language barrier. The translators and the production coordinator did a great job, without them it would have been impossible to do this work. The door to Russia has now been opened!
Some of the films available for viewing:
Feed-back from participants:
“I liked the methods of teaching, since training was in informal creating environment. Freedom of thought, creativity, self-expression not an academic approach to training.”
“I liked teacher’s view on filmmaking and her sense of life, Her sincerity and positive attitude made me feel comfortable and easy.”
“I liked practical tasks and their fulfilling;
The discussions on the topic of health, life and death were interesting because these topics are often taken for granted and there is no time to think over them.”
“I liked the methods of teaching, since training was in informal creating environment. Freedom of thought, creativity, self-expression not an academic approach to training.”
“I liked teacher’s view on filmmaking and her sense of life, Her sincerity and positive attitude made me feel comfortable and easy.”
“I liked practical tasks and their fulfilling;
The discussions on the topic of health, life and death were interesting because these topics are often taken for granted and there is no time to think over them.”