Stardust and Storytelling in Zarqa

The movie ‘Fighter’ has travelled all over the Western world and has finally arrived in the Middle East. The movie was part of the European Film Festival in Amman and besides the screening, two side events addressing youth self-expression or the lack thereof took place.

Camilla Juul Bjørn

19. November 2009

Fighter light the fire of the youth

As one of three movies, The European Film Committee had chosen Fighter to be screened outside of Amman. As part of the screening, MS ActionAid Denmark and the Danish Embassy arranged a full-day event in Zarqa. Zarqa is the third largest city in Jordan and the young people between 15-30 years hold close to 50% of the population. This area is also characterized by poverty, pollution and high population density.

Normally the youth in Zarqa are not offered many activities so the programme combining free movie screening, performances and workshops attracted more than a 100 young men and women. The show with breakdance, rap, martial arts and storytelling made the audience jump from their seats even though it was the first time ever some of the performers entered a stage.

The artistic means of expression were chosen by the young performers to tell their personal stories. The practice has been going on since this summer and is undertaken by Community Development Center (CDC) in partnership with C;NTACT theatre (Betty Nansens Theater in Copenhagen) and MS ActionAid Denmark.

The actress Semra Turan plays the lead character in the Danish youth movie. She also showed her skills in martial arts along with two Tai Kwondo girls at the event. She tells about her experience in Zarqa:

“I had been told that we were to visit a poor and socially deprived area. So I had a certain picture in my head. The reality was very different from that picture. Those young people are very cool and talented. They really could perform and they were so eager to take part in the discussions afterwards”

 

“Follow your heart”

Ghandi saber, actor and facilitator, ran the activities this day in the cultural center in Zarqa. He says:

“The options for the young people here are limited. Luckily though, things are slowly changing. The youth is ready to seize the chance and explore their talents. But they are waiting for the chance to hit them instead of trying to create the circumstances themselves. “ 

The youth often believes that it would change their situation if they move to the capital or leave the country. They dream of another life, than that of their parents. Ghandi Saber stresses, that they have to understand that they need to act independently.

In spite of the huge number of young people in the Jordanian society, the voice of the youth is generally silenced and their wishes not respected by the elder generations. In terms of  opportunities, traditions play a major role in the lives of the youth, and those who wish to take another path experience great opposition. This is also why the movie ‘Fighter’ and its message was embraced strongly by the professionals who work with youth as well as the young people themselves.

“The message of the movie is that you should follow your heart”, Semra Turan says proudly. This is a message that pleases the youth in Zarqa and while the credits are shown on the screen the youth applaud like crazy.

Semra Turan is impressed with the strengths she witnessed;

“Those people are aware of their situation. But still also knowledgeable of the even worse situation other young people experience. I heard some of them mention the situation of the Iraqi and Palestinian refugees, and how it could be possible to help change their intolerable situation.  This I’m impressed with”

Semra Turan, who herself has Turkish/Kurdish origin, has never visited the Middle East before.

“I did not expect this overwhelming interest and welcoming from the Jordanians”, she says while finishing her tea. It is time to move to on the next appointment before the night falls in Amman.