‘Appelez-moi Salma’ Unofficial premier
Hey everybody. If you’re in Montreal and have nothing to do on sunday afternoons come check out our documentary. Entry is free so tell your friends! See you there
The Evergreen Facebook group is up
If you are in need of more frequent Evergreen updates we suggest that you join our Evergreen project Facebook group.
Si vous voulez encore plus d’info sur notre project; joignez vous à notre groupe Facebook.
Joignez vous en cliquant ici – Join by clicking here
thanks-merci
EVERGREEN DEMO!
The Evergreen demo is finally up!
After an exhaustive and emotional pre-shoot we managed
to pull something together and edit a short demo.
Watch it, talk about it, write about it,
thank you Salma and Pinky
Version française
thanks for watching
Part 2 – Faith in the new
Husain Amer, a friend from Montreal currently living in China, will be our guest writer for 4 little chronicles about Dhaka inspired by his visit in July.
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What awoke me was something quite magical. At 4:50, I get woken up by the Hazan, the call to prayer for the mosque on the other side of the lake. “Allahwho Akbar …”
These were words I haven’t heard in a long time and it felt quite spiritual. I haven’t prayed in a long time. I do recite the only piece of the Koran I know “Al Fatiha” – the opening. It relaxes me and brings me to rest when I am in fear. I will probably sneak my way into a mosque during my trip and pray, at least once.
In the morning, Seb and Aude had to take care of their visas. We went to the visa office, which was quite a mess. There was no one really to give directions. I saw Seb and Aude switch counters probably 6 times during our 1 hour there. But they got what they needed and we were on our way!
What came after was something I was waiting for since I’ve heard about Seb and Aude’s project. Evergreen is the reason Sébastien Rist and Aude Leroux-Lévesque came to Bangladesh in the first place. In this country populated mainly with Muslim believers and practitioners, there is a small group called the Hijras who are shunned from this society.
To simplify, they are the gays, transvestites and transsexuals of Bangladesh who have formed a support group and 3 learning centers for others like them. In this center, they get free STD and HIV education and testing. Seb and Aude have been giving them free English lessons while getting closer to them and earning their trust. Soon enough they will take out the camera and start following these fascinating individuals.
I arrived to one of the three centers expecting really rowdy, loud and extroverted people. I was surprised when they first were quite respectful and quiet, curious about my presence, asking me common questions.
The class Seb and Aude had prepared was watching ‘Paris is Buring’, a film about gays and transsexuals in New York during the 1990s. A little bit into the film, we asked the class if I could film the class and they didn’t mind. I took out the camera and started filming. This was quite a feeling. To be one of the first getting coverage of this community and personalities but at the same time, I was thinking to myself “what will my Dad say…”
They loved the camera as most flashy personalities would. I got flashed by one of them… Afterwards, we had two of them dance for the camera. They really enjoyed themselves.
I said my goodbyes but not without being invited to a spiritual event. Can’t wait to see what happens there and Yes, I will be bringing my camera!
Three Hijras from the class Seb and Aude taught. The paper reads: "Plz coll me, I am gay" with a phone number...
Part One – Dhaka Chronicles
Husain Amer, a friend from Montreal currently living in China, will be our guest writer for 4 little chronicles about Dhaka inspired by his visit in July.
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As the plane started to lower its altitude, I was able to look at Dhaka from the sky. It seemed as if the city was flowing on a river. The lights are low, close to the ground as there are no high rises, and some of them are flickering. It was as though I was watching fireflies sitting on a lake, while the moon reflected off the water in a dream like fashion.
I got picked up by Sam and Korvi who came along with Seb, giving us a ride back to Seb’s apartment where I will be crashing for the next 4 days. The city was dark during the ride but the geography is quite refreshing compared to Beijing. Palm trees and fresh air provided by all the greenery around and the humid wind blowing along. It was refreshing.
I didn’t want to sleep as I was too excited but did feel the need for some rest. The next morning, Aude, Seb and I headed out to “New Market”. On our way there, I got to see the city for the first time as it truly is, not quiet and sparsely populated like the night before but loud and packed with rickshaws and some cars and busses that don’t seem to ever stop, even when dropping off or picking up their customers.
I’ve taken the rickshaw rides 6 times today. I feel terrible about these short men peddling with all their strength, getting off the bike pulling when arriving at an uphill slop. The streets are simply packed with them and they are fashionably pimped up with glitter and silver ornaments to… I guess it adds some style to their ways.
We shopped in the markets for a while and during our visit, Seb and Aude’s tailor spotted them from across the mall and called them to invite us for tea. My first tea invite for this trip!! Hurray!! The tailor could speak some English, which is good compared to the rest of his competitors. I found it amusing when I asked him what his favorite meal was and he answered “rice and meat”. I guess I was expecting a name of a certain meal or something.
That night I decided to sleep on the living room floor. When it comes to fading to the dream world I need sound, noise, a constant stream of something, anything to get me to drift. Seb’s apartment is perfect for this. Their balcony overseas a lake and at night, the local Bangladeshis are all around it sipping tea and chatting. The sound of the rickshaw bells and honks coming from afar definitely got me to flow away nicely, in a trance which I’m sure I will miss once I leave.
Bideshi Films 