MENA Climate Stories is a new initiative exploring how climate change shapes our relationships with land, identity, memory, and home through art and storytelling.
The program features three separately registered events: a film screening and panel, an interactive in-person workshop, and an online workshop on sustainable filmmaking.
An evening of short films from the MENA/SWANA region exploring the intersections of climate change, land ownership, belonging, displacement, ecological grief, and environmental justice.
Through deeply personal and culturally rooted narratives, these films explore how environmental change affects our relationships with land, identity, memory, and home, bringing perspectives that are often overlooked in mainstream climate conversations.
The screening will be followed by a panel discussion titled Climate Stories: Shifting Perspectives in Times of Uncertainty, bringing together artists, filmmakers, and climate thinkers to explore how storytelling can shape public perception, challenge dominant narratives, and inspire environmental action.
The centrepiece of the programme is There Will Come Soft Rains by Afghan filmmaker Elham Ehsas, a moving story of a woman confronting rising sea levels and the possible loss of her father's burial place. The film explores grief, cultural traditions, and our connection to land, while also demonstrating how sustainable production practices can be integrated into filmmaking.
Films:
Panel Moderator: Kathleen Mullen, Sustainable Production Forum
Panelists:
How can scientific data become compelling stories? How is public perception formed, and how can storytelling inspire a deeper connection with our environment?
This interactive workshop brings together filmmakers, artists, scientists, and researchers to explore the intersection of science communication, climate storytelling, and data visualisation.
Through practical exercises and case studies, including Studio Ghibli's environmental storytelling, participants will explore how scientific evidence and creative narratives can work together to shift perspectives and inspire change.
Designed for filmmakers, creatives, researchers, and environmental communicators, the workshop offers practical approaches to transforming complex research into engaging visual stories, while encouraging collaboration between artistic and scientific disciplines.
No prior experience in science communication or data visualisation is required.
Facilitators:
Followed by: Artist social and mixer at Zameen Art House
In collaboration with the Sustainable Production Forum and facilitated by the Sustainable Entertainment Society (SES).
A practical introduction to environmentally conscious filmmaking, exploring how sustainability can be incorporated into film and television production, from planning and resource management to everyday decisions on set.
With a particular focus on independent filmmakers and micro-budget productions, the workshop will introduce accessible strategies for reducing environmental impact without compromising creative ambitions.
