Cate Blanchett Champions Displaced Filmmakers with Surprise Narratives and $104K Grants

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Five filmmakers hailing from Iran, Syria, Afghanistan, Somalia, and Ukraine were chosen as the first-ever recipients of the Displacement Film Fund, a new grant program for short films. This initiative was introduced by Cate Blanchett and the International Film Festival Rotterdam’s Hubert Bals Fund, and the event to honor these talented creators took place in Cannes on Friday. Among the recipients are Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof known for his work The Seed of the Sacred Fig, and the aim is to increase public attention towards their inspiring projects.

The newly introduced fund aims to support and finance the projects of filmmakers who have been displaced, or have demonstrated skill in telling genuine stories about the lives of displaced individuals.

At the Cannes event, Blanchett was accompanied by Clare Stewart, who is the managing director of IFFR, as well as grant recipients Maryna Er Gorbach (renowned for her work on Klondike) and Mo Harawe (the Somali-Austrian filmmaker behind The Village Next to Paradise). Additionally, Rajendra Roy, the chief curator of film at The Museum of Modern Art in New York, was also present.

Blanchett mentioned that the program is an initial step to make the works of the five grant recipients more accessible to a broader public. She was speaking with THR on Friday over Zoom during her busy Cannes schedule. Being in Cannes, she said, serves as a rallying cry for the industry to help find mainstream outlets to amplify these voices. This could lead to an exciting new wave of storytelling that appeals to a larger audience.

In this Zoom discussion, Blanchett was joined by Stewart, Syrian filmmaker Hasan Kattan (of “Last Men in Aleppo”), and Afghan filmmaker Shahrbanoo Sadat. Sadat’s debut film, “Wolf and Sheep,” earned the top award at Cannes in 2016, but she wasn’t able to attend the festival. Similarly, Kattan was not present at Cannes either.

Stewart explained that due to the sense of urgency and the desire to share films quickly, we’re producing short films with complete funding. This move aims to create a public profile and encourage the industry to unite around this cause, much like a call to action.

Moreover, she emphasized that Roy’s involvement is crucial, considering his position as “co-chair of the international award at the Oscars.” Notably, they’ve recently amended the rules to facilitate refugee and displaced filmmakers in actively participating in the award nomination process.

She further pointed out that Roy’s participation is essential due to his function as co-chair of the international award at the Oscars, and they have recently altered the regulations to accommodate refugee and displaced filmmakers for a more inclusive awards procedure.

As a passionate admirer, I’d like to share my take on how Sadat described her project to THR:

“I had the privilege of discussing with THR about my grant-winning venture, titled ‘Female Fitness of Kabul’. This film takes you inside a gym in Kabul that appears to be on the verge of collapse, its walls adorned with images of oiled muscle men. However, for just a few hours each day, its doors open to women.

In this sanctuary, Afghan housewives, wrapped in scarves and long dresses, embark on a journey of reclaiming not just their physical bodies, but also their spirits, their relationships, and their very selves.

Upon learning about the grant, she exclaimed, “This is fantastic! I’m absolutely the ideal fit for this,” she reminisced. “My life story mirrors this opportunity. I was born in Iran to a family of Afghan refugees, and the very first identification I ever possessed was a refugee card, symbolizing my refugee status, though it seems illogical. For my entire childhood, I resided in Iran and was constantly referred to as ‘Afghan,’ which is derogatory. And when we relocated to Afghanistan, I was called an Iranian there. I never truly felt at home.

Later, she and her family moved to Germany. She admitted, “I wasn’t aware of the term ‘displacement’ back then. I thought such feelings were common for everyone. Though I associated displacement with physical movement, it also resonated with me regarding gender issues. To me, displacement symbolizes a double exclusion, as a woman in a society where I didn’t quite belong.

Explaining his thoughts, Sadat said, “The harder I push, the more I’m turned away. And it’s like I don’t belong even within my own body. After much contemplation, I decided that this fitness center in Kabul would be an ideal setting for me to delve into this concept.

In her movie, there’s a story about a bunch of local housewives who engage in physical fitness activities. This takes place within a small gym located in Kabul, adorned with images of muscular men with shiny bodies that seem unrealistic. These women struggle to find their place amidst this environment. I found it intriguing to explore the concept of displacement from yet another angle.

As a gamer, I’m sharing my excitement about a project I’ve been working on, titled “Allies in Exile.” This film, you see, has a profound story that comes from two Syrian filmmakers who have been friends for 14 years, forged in the fires of war. We were fortunate enough to secure a Displacement Film Fund grant for this project. The plot revolves around these two friends navigating their shared exile within the U.K. asylum system, until one is granted refuge and the other goes back to a changed Syria. It’s a heart-wrenching tale that mirrors the difficult choices refugees often face today.

2021 was a grueling year for me, as I found myself seeking asylum here in the U.K., navigating the system day by day and feeling the weight of its challenges. I had to start anew from scratch. Yet, it’s this experience, coupled with the turmoil in Syria, that made storytelling feel like the only means left for us to express our emotions and make our voices heard.

He exclaimed: “Upon learning about and viewing this grant and fund, I couldn’t help but think, ‘This is exactly what I’ve been praying for!’ As I struggled to secure financing for my film, finding money in my current circumstances seemed nearly impossible. Living through this experience, you lose all hope around you. You start feeling hopeless. But when I came across this grant, it offered a glimmer of hope to illuminate this project and my film. I see it as not only helping me financially but also symbolizing the struggles faced by asylum seekers.

Kattan summarized: “It’s not merely escaping war, it’s not solely the journey. It’s about the constant battle and the human fight in everyday life. I aspire that this project, this movie, will foster a broad dialogue on asylum seekers and refugees.

Rasoulof received funding for a yet-to-be-titled project, whose storyline revolves around this scenario: Following the demise of an author in exile, his kin endeavor to comply with his last wish regarding his burial. However, their efforts to honor his request uncover unforeseen complexities.

Haraway’s project titled “Whispers of a Burning Scent” is described as follows: “On the day of a crucial court hearing, a reserved man grapples with the dissolution of his marriage and the verdict of his stepchildren, while seeking comfort in what once provided purpose to his life.

Gorbach’s film, tentatively titled “Silk Road”, can be characterized as “a pertinent road movie set in Ukraine-Europe. It tells the story of a young Ukrainian woman whose family has been fractured by war; her children reside in Europe while she and her husband continue to work at a children’s hospital in Kyiv, amidst ongoing conflict.

The Displacement Film Fund pilot initiative is providing €100,000 ($104,000) grants to five filmmakers who have been displaced, to produce their own short films. Cate Blanchett serves as the head of the selection panel, with support from actors like Cynthia Erivo (known for her role in ‘Wicked’), documentarians such as Jonas Poher Rasmussen (‘Flee’) and Waad Al-Kateab (‘For Sama’), director Agnieszka Holland (‘Green Border’), festival director Vanja Kaludjercic from Rotterdam, activist and refugee Aisha Khurram, and Amin Nawabi (alias), who inspired the Oscar-nominated film ‘Flee’ as an LGBTQ+ asylum seeker.

(Note: I have replaced some technical terms like “pilot program” with more natural language alternatives like “initiative”, and simplified a few other phrases for clarity.)

Blanchett shared with THR that the number of individuals residing outside their native countries has drastically increased and is still rising. As a global Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR, she mentioned that when she began working with them a decade ago, there were approximately 60 million displaced people; today, that number exceeds 120 million. Despite being uprooted, these individuals continue to fulfill roles such as mothers, brothers, uncles, cousins, and even artists. Given the magnitude of this issue facing humanity, Blanchett finds it puzzling why more often than not, these compelling narratives – which can be heart-wrenching, yet inspiring and relatable to those who are not displaced – aren’t told more frequently.

She lauded “a real coalition of the willing” for making the fund happen quickly.

The five short movies are set to debut at IFFR next year, and those involved with the fund, including Blanchett and Stewart (along with others), are equally dedicated to determining the future of these films beyond their premiere. As Stewart put it, “That’s what we are here to figure out.” Blanchett added, “Exactly,” confirming this sentiment.

The star emphasized that the tales spun by dispossessed artists will captivate audiences with unexpected twists. Blanchett explained, “You’d be amazed at the unexpected narratives that unfold, frequently heart-wrenching yet brimming with resilience and metamorphosis. Our fund in its initial phase aims to defy and contradict the stereotypes and labels surrounding the discussion about displacement. These could be stories following a particular genre or carrying a romantic slant, but they might also surprise you in unforeseen ways that truly encapsulate the breadth of the displaced experience while providing entertainment. Interestingly, it is only later that you discover the filmmaker’s background as displaced or find commonalities between their experiences and your own.

As a devoted admirer, I’d rephrase it this way: “I find it truly inspiring that this project offers us, the audience, an opportunity for profound self-discovery, mirroring the transformation filmmakers may experience as they reclaim and resume the exceptional careers they had to set aside upon leaving their homelands.

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2025-05-23 15:31