Cornwall Studies Library

I visited the Cornwall Studies Library in Redruth to meet the head librarian. The library has a comprehensive record of local newspapers and will be an invaluable resource for the Heart of Conflict project. The shelves are full of stories for us to uncover.

Interestingly, they also have an exhibition space that Bridging Arts will use next year. Besides paper records, the library has an excellent collection of transparencies and the equipment to view them. Definitely worth a visit.

Local stories: Mr Tenby

I travelled to Hayle to meet local man, Chris Tenby. Mr Tenby's father served in the First World War,  an experience that he never spoke about when he returned home. He was hit in the leg by shrapnel at the front in 1917 and was hospitalised in Sheffield until 1921. Doctors worked intensively on his wound by immersing it in hot and then cold water to get circulation going. Although he was never able to bend his injured leg,  he returned to his business in Cornwall and lived into his nineties.

Mr Tenby was 17 years old when the Second World War began and joined the Royal Navy soon afterwards. He served across the world for four years - from Malta to South Africa - and has some remarkable stories. I asked him what he remembered most, 'The good times mostly'. And there were plenty of 'good times' amid the horrors of war. Trading cigarettes for cigars in Singapore and buying ice cream in Italy unwittingly with the equivalent of a one hundred pound note! Apparently, the shop assistant was gone for twenty minutes to get enough change.

A remarkable man.

Pretty Village - film production update

Kemal Pervanic's school class: the war changed everything.
'My mixed school class of Serbs and Muslims. We all looked the same.'

Always good to hear from Kemal Pervanic about his brilliant film Pretty Village that was previewed at the Front Line Club in September. Kemal has just managed to raise funds to finish off production. Really hope that it is accepted in New York - see below, in the message from Kemal.






 He writes:

Picture grading, which will greatly enhance the archived footage used, is scheduled to be competed early next week. Tom is writing the original score and will asemble a group of musicians to record it by the end of April, possibly even sooner. Alan will then follow with sound mix and sound design. The film should be completed by the middle of May.
It is still being considered for Human Rights Watch Film Festival in New York. I hope it is selected as it could be the breakthrough it deserves. Soon we'll apply to enter several other film festivals.

Kemal is a long-standing friend of Bridging Arts, and helped us get our very first project Crimson Harvest off the ground.

The Heart of Conflict - parish stories from the First World War

We're just starting work on a new project - looking at local stories from the First World War.
2014 is bound to be full of stories and information about this terrible conflict.
We'll be looking at its impact on a very local level.... working primarily around Camborne and Hayle.
Updates here on the blog.

Pretty Village - film by Kemal Pervanic - races towards final production

White House: notorious torture chamber at Omarska concentration camp

An update from Kemal Pervanic, who is currently fundraising for final production costs for his extraordinary film Pretty Village.  The film tells the harrowing story of the 1992 Kevljani massacre in Bosnia and its continuing effect on people's lives there. Kemal himself is a survivor of the notorious concentration camp, Omarska, where former neighbours and teachers were among his guards.
It's not too late to support him.... here's his fundraising page. Raising money for this film has been a long and tough struggle.

Kemal is an old friend of Bridging Arts. He worked with us on Crimson Harvest (paintings by Bosnian Serb artist Pero Mandic)  and  Srebrenica Now  - photographs marking the tenth anniversary of the genocide in Srebrenica in 2005.

Kemal writes about his latest trip to his home village:

 "I just returned from another trip to the Pretty Village. I was there for the New Year. It was very different from the New Year’s celebration which took place on the eve of 1992 when a lot of young people danced and sang. It was very quiet apart from some local Serbs discharging remaining reserves of ammo from the last war. Apart from them it was two kids born in the 21st century who were making all the noise by setting off probably Chinese made fireworks. For a war survivor it was not a welcoming noise either. Kasim and I retired to bed without the customary ‘Happy New Year’ greeting.

"Pretty Village has not seen a happy New Year’s eve since 31 December 1991. The curse of the living is never being able to forget the nightmare they survived. During this trip I made separate visits to Jasmin and his mother Besima. Jasmin gets on with his life. He has a wife and two beautiful kids to look after. He was keen to see the latest film cut. His mother Besima was not so excited. She said she does not want to be reminded of her wartime again. She just passed the 80th birthday mark. Her murdered son Dzevad would celebrate his 53rd birthday, if he was still alive. This makes all the more important, and all the more remarkable, her testimony which we recorded impromptu when we just intended to take a still picture of the few remaining pictures of Dzevad which she keeps displayed in her vitrine.

"I am so pleased now that I felt no guilt when I acted as a filmmaker who tried to seize a moment which invitingly presented itself rather than a boy from the village and a contemporary of her son Jasmin, to ask to film her on camera. Our filming on that January day in 2013, several hours before we had to go and catch our flight back to the UK, has turned to serve many different functions. Most importantly it became her public testimonial and tribute to her murdered son. It became a cry for peace where no mothers want to see their sons murdered in the name of religion, political or economic conquest, or history.

"It was her first, and I believe last, outpouring of grief which continues to serve a great purpose. Through our presence and our camera we provided the acknowledgment that the justice system and politicians constantly fail to address. Our unintended filming that day performed an unforgettable deed. On the evening I visited Besima this time she was radiating with positive energy. Every war story is difficult to listen to, but the story of a bereaved mother forever remains an iconic story of every war. It remains an unfulfilled cry for peace.

"Let’s hope that Bosnia will not witness future filmmakers making a film about another Pretty Village in Bosnia based on its tragic past. Let’s hope that our Pretty Vilage film serves as an inspiration to generations of young people everywhere to uphold the value of peace. Let’s hope that the future of Bosnia does not have to tell new Besima stories.

"The more I work on this film, the more I keep visiting those featured in the film, the more I understand its value and its potential to teach us to always try harder at being better persons. Perhaps then we will hear fewer stories such as Besima’s."

An old friend and further work in Bugle, Cornwall

Great to catch up with Lois Wild at Diocesan House this week. Lois is organising a Family Christmas Party in Bugle, central Cornwall - near Minorca Lane where we worked with Portuguese families on I Packed This Myself. We created a suitcase with items brought by Portuguese people - Lois has the case and hopefully it will be on display. It would be great to hear news from some of the people we worked with.

A Portuguese worker photographed close to Tulip meat processing factory, near Bugle, in 2007. Tom Pilston/Bridging Arts

Details of the party from Lois:

"Christmas Family Party

Saturday 14th December

2.00pm till 4.00pm

Bugle Methodist Church Sunday School Hall

There is no charge to come to the event and there will be food, craft activities, the chance to have your say on Bugle and we are hoping for a visit from Father Christmas at 3.30pm.

You don't need to let us know you are coming, please just turn up any time during the afternoon."

On the 207 bus

Spotted at the Queen Adelaide bus stop on Uxbridge Road - a white skateboard.
I am no expert at all but (almost) instantly recognised this as an Isle skateboard - the new company set up by Nick Jensen and others. Nick was the driving force behind our project, Whatever It Takes, in Cornwall last year. There are some amazing Isle designs. Had to snatch these photographs on the bus and eventually at the tube station: thought it might have been slightly odd to say 'Can I take a picture of your skateboard?'

Great to see that Isle - only set up in the last 12 months - is already so visibly on the streets.