As part of Arab Women Artists Now (AWAN) 2022 festival, A.MAL Collective were invited to host a film showing and panel discussion at Rich Mix in London, curated by Jessica El Mal.
We invited Zainab Rahim and Alaa Alsaraji to come along and speak to Leila Gamaz of A.MAL Collective, as well as screening their film The Land of 30 Million Palm Trees, and Leila’s film The Animals, the Plant and the Stranger. Both explore similar themes of climate and ecology through family history, storytelling and using the voice as a carrier of our memories.
After showing their films, they had a rich conversation about the interconnectivity of climate justice and colonialism and using and holding archives. This fuelled a heartfelt discussion with the audience that touched on connecting to your heritage on your own terms, using remembrance as a tool for reconnection, and dreaming for a brighter future. The audio was recorded and will be released as a podcast later this year.
