Gren Wave: 1st Act

Domani, 11 febbraio 2009, si commemora in Iran l’anniversario della cacciata dello Scià.

E’ un anniversario carico di tensione. A nessuno sfugge quanto stia accadendo laggiù. O meglio…sfugge a tutti. Perchè le informazioni non escono in maniera trasparente e neutra; perchè le immagini non ci arrivano; perchè i racconti vengono filtrati.

Internet è rimasta l’ultima trincea della libertà di informazione. E noi di S4C siamo qui anche per questo e ciascuno di noi, nel proprio piccolo e piccolissimo, sta facendo la sa parte.

Sono molto fiero di poter annunciare una splendida iniziativa che la nostra Yelena Posniak sta portando avanti a New York. Lascio alla sua lettera spiegarvi quello che succederà, o meglio, comincerà a succedere da domani.

Da oggi avviamo ed alimentiamo un’onda verde. Aiutateci tutti a diffonderla…

e da domani, le uniche armi che gireranno su Internet…dovranno essere i nostri e vostro TWIT…

Antonio Amendola

(le foto che pubblicheremo oggi e nei prossimi giorni arrivano da studenti iraniani che chiedono, ovviamente, il completo anonimato)

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February 5, 2010

To All Shoot for Change Team  Members:

Dear S4C Team,

Since the launch of Shoot for Change and Peace in January 2010, we have become actively involved with establishing communication to  give a voice to the Iranian people.  In the process, we met incredible individuals and  learned a great deal of the terrible situation that has fallen upon  the millions of people of Iran.

Our initial project started as a platform for Iranian students to display photographs through S4C.  What developed  in the upcoming weeks was truly unbelievable.

By chance or perhaps through destiny, I came across a youtube video by an Iranian  activist/artist/filmmaker, Mr. Daryush Shokof (www.shokof.com) .   This video was a trailer for a film “Iran Zendan” www.iranzendan.com,  and “Heaven’s Taxi” www.heavenstaxithemovie.com.  Both  films focus on bringing attention to the terrible conditions that the Iranian prisoners face by the current regime of Iran and  to bring more attention to the global issue of racism towards the people of the Middle East.  I reached out to Mr. Shokof  to see if we can collaborate and put our efforts together through S4C.    He welcomed the opportunity and presented an idea to begin screening his films in New York City in February.

As we all worked together,   Mr. Shokof and his team  in Berlin,  Antonio from Rome and with my efforts from NYC,  we achieved great success.   The unreleased films will begin screening on February 11^th , which coincides with the 30^th Year Anniversary of the collapse of the Royal Iranian Regime due to the uprising of the people.  The actors from  films, led by the Taies Farzan a women who will represent the people of Iran,  will speak at all forums , with the first to be held at Columbia University.   On February 14, we will hold a private screening  at the Anthology Film Archives, with film people, humanitarians, professors and activists.    On Febryary 17^th the films will be seen in UCLA University, Los Angeles and the final screening will be held on February 18^th at the Royal Theater in LA.   Our goal is to reach out to individuals that can  continue the message of Peace in Iran after the credits of the films run on the screen.

Through this entire process, we also established direct communication with people from Iran, who anonymously send us photos to post.  What an incredible feeling it is to know that we were able to reach so far.

As we release the films in US, at the same time and on the same days, there are events being planned throughout the world to support the message of the films and to cause a wave.  On February 11^th,  9 minutes of the film “Iran Zendan” will be played on the streets of Berlin and in other parts of the world.  On the same day in New York City,   a great activist designer Jillian Maslow, who created the “Bullet Gown” will dress Taies Farzan in her dress and we will photograph her in front of the United Nations.

It is not possible to describe how all of this developed , what is possible is that we did it and we are making a difference in the world.  One person at a time, one country at a time, the people of many nations deserve respect and the beauty of what life can give you.

So let us Shoot for Change and create Peace… we hold it in our hands and  have the power  to make a difference.

Sincerely and most respectfully

Yelena Posniak

Shoot for Change & Peace