Document Youth Programme Shorts

Love and Rubbish
Dir. Hannah Polak, Russia 2013, 8m, Scottish Premiere

It is estimated there are up to five million homeless people in Russia, about a million of whom are children. And the numbers are still rising. Director Hanna Polak travelled to a giant dump on the outskirts of Moscow that is inhabited by more than 1,000 of the homeless. Love and Rubbish focuses on the fate of the dump's child inhabitants who- despite living in unimaginable conditions- do not stop dreaming of a better future away from the endless heaps of garbage.

Faridullah's Day Off
Dirs. Taj Mohammah Bakhatari & Jens Pedersen, Afghanistan 2013, 17m, UK Premiere

During the war in Afghanistan, the family of 11-year-old Faridullah lost their home, and for several years now they have been forced to live in a refugee camp. In order to survive, Faridullah and his parents borrow money from the owner of a small brick factory and then repay him by doing hard daily work.

Faridullah wants to go to school- but in the current situation, this seems like an impossible dream. Although he must labour every day making bricks- and is subject to the frequent berating of his perpetually displeased boss- Faridullah is full of an admirable energy and hope. He believes that soon everything will be better...

Apna Haq
F.A.T/ VOW Media, India 2014, 18m, Scottish Premiere

Four young girls from the slums of New Delhi created this film in order to help make a change in their community- by raising awareness about the lack of toilets and its implications for women. Working together with F.A.T (Feminist Approach to Technology) and Voices of Women Media (VOW Media) who provided workshops to train them in multimedia skills, they created a body of photography documenting their everyday lives, a radio show and short films to campaign for their cause. In this way they seek to kickstart a movement which will ultimately sway the actual policy makers. An inspiring short film about the next generation of feminist activists in India.