Featured Project:
Camp Unity
photo courtesy of American Voices
From the Projects Blog
May 13, 2008
CAMP UNITY reaches its first fundraising goal!
posted by Ryan White
On May 8, after only 12 days of fundraising on IndieGoGo, the CAMP UNITY project reached its first fundraising goal of $1000! This only happened because of support from my friends, family, and colleagues who received an email about the project a few weeks ago - and I cannot thank them enough. I also can't believe how quickly everyone mobilized to help out the documentary project and make this happen. That initial $1000 will be channeled into funds for a 2nd unit camera to be used during the final musical/dance/theater performances at the Unity Academy 2008, as well as other miscellaneous camera gear.
May 13, 2008
Iraqi artists and singers flee amid crackdown on forbidden culture
posted by R. Timothy Brady
Caroline Davies writes in The Observer:
'Life for artists in Iraq has turned into hell. We have been forced to stay in our homes and to stop working. I don't remember the last time I saw an exhibition, or a singer at a club, or an actor at a local theatre. All of us have been prohibited from working as a result of the killings.'
Read the full article here.
May 11, 2008
Happy Mother's Day!
posted by R. Timothy Brady
Soulbird Music Project would like to wish all mothers around the world a very Happy Mother's Day! In the United States, Mother's Day began as an anti-war rallying cry in 1870 (the American Civil War lasted between 1861 and 1865). We salute the millions of women around the world who continue the struggle for peace and the fight for social justice.
Karen Cocq of Inter Pares, a Canadian-based not-for-profit that works for international social and economic justice, wrote in an email:
[Mother's Day] began as the inspiration of committed and strong women who were seeking out ways to value the role of women in their communities and in society, and as a moving rallying cry for women to not be complicit in the crimes of war, but to stand staunchly and firmly for peace with justice.
April 30, 2008
posted by Ryan White
Other Ways to Support the CAMP UNITY Documentary
Aside from cash donations, the CAMP UNITY documentary project is also looking for in-kind donations for travel and equipment expenses. If you would like to help out by providing your frequent flyer miles for the crew to fly to Iraq, or providing camera equipment, or would like to learn about other ways you can help out, please visit the Soulbird Music Project's donation page. Soulbird is CAMP UNITY's producer.
We are currently seeking donations for the following
travel for the film-shoot
- two return tickets for travel from North America to the Middle East in July, 2008
- two return tickets for travel from Southeast Asia to the Middle East in July, 2008
production equipment for the film-shoot
- two HD camcorders
- lens filters for the camcorders
All sponsors will be acknowledged on the CAMP UNITY blog, in the film's end credits, and on the film's eventual website. Corporate and community sponsors will also be acknowledged in the film's end credits, on the film's eventual website, and in the film's printed promotional materials (posters, postcards, press kits, etc.).
Current Projects
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- INKLUSIV Film Festival
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The 5th Edition of the INKLUSIV Film Festival in Bucharest, Romania presents a series of LGBT-oriented films from around the world.
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- Camp Unity
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CAMP UNITY is the story of music, dance, and theater students from different areas and ethno-religious backgrounds of Iraq attending an American performing arts academy in Erbil and Suleimanya, overcoming personal and cultural conflicts and improving their artistic skills and talents along the way.
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- Edalat Square World Tour
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Edalat Square: Opera in One Act is an award-winning 45-minute music-theatre production that addresses the case of Mahmoud and Ayaz: a case that put the plight of gays in Iran in the international spotlight.
This Month's Soulbird Profile
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May 2008
Octav PopescuRead the Profile -
"The power of the network is in the speed and strength of its connections. The Soulbird network can be very useful in finding the ideas and resources necessary for tackling our problems..."
Events
Monday, May 19 through Sunday, May 25 INKLUSIV Film Festival
Bucharest, Romania
presented by ACCEPT-Romania
Cinemateca Românǎ Sala Union
Saturday, May 31 & Friday, June 6 Edalat Square at Opera Vista Festival
POSTPONED - Statement from Opera Vista:
"Due to a scheduling error on the part of our venue, the 2008 Opera Vista Festival has been postponed. We are currently working on finding a new venue and setting new dates for the festival. As we have more information, we will post it on our website."
Sunday, July 6 through Sunday, July 27 Camp Unity
Erbil and Suleimaniya, Iraq
Soulbird Music Project is proudly sponsoring and producing Soulbird Ryan White's film about the 2008 Unity Academy: Camp Unity