"ROOTING" WITH TSITSI DANGAREMBGA IN SPAIN
Tsitsi Dangarembga inspires underrepresented storytellers in Spain.
In April this year, well known writer and filmmaker Tsitsi Dangarembga, who is also ICAPA Trust's Founding Director, facilitated a storytelling session for emerging creatives in Barcelona, Spain. The special event was part of the Action Roots initiative of the women's film collective Dones Visuales. Action Roots is an incubator focused on empowering underrepresented women to participate in the film industry.
Named ROOTING WITH TSITSI, the workshop was hosted by Dones Visuals in partnership with the Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona (CCCB).
“We identified a diversity problem in the industry,” said Dones Visuals Action Roots coordinator Salima Jirari. “We did some research to identify underrepresented creative voices and went on to put them in the spotlight so that they do not get left behind.”
The intense four hour long session, in which participants explored their own authentic narrative voice through guided exercises and open conversations, was open to all applicants to the Action Roots programme, regardless of whether they were ultimately selected or not. “Everyone who registered for the program, whether or not they were ultimately selected, had a rare chance to explore their personal narratives and strengthen their artistic voices under Dangarembga’s expert guidance,” said Jirari.
Jirari called the sessions both inspiring and practical, with attendees building confidence as they shared their narratives and received feedback in real time. She explained that Dangarembga’s presence helped break down the rigour often exhibited by other workshops by using an accessible, engaging methodology which was clear enough to ensure that all participants understood. Jirari went on to emphasise the vital importance of accessibility for participants who often encounter closed doors in traditional industry environments. “It was a good way to make everyone feel like they can have an opportunity to work on and get some insights on how to develop their ideas,” she commented. For Dones Visuals, the milestone workshop provided participants, regardless of background, with a sense of belonging in a room, inspiration as well as concrete ideas on how to approach their own work.
“I was struck by the openness and engagement everyone exhibited in sharing their own stories and the backgrounds to their stories, as well as in listening to each other and proposing ideas,” Dangarembga said after the event. She noted that a third of the participants were melanated women of African descent, which underscored the need for inclusive spaces to create pathways for African descended women to participate in the industry in Europe. "I think the women knew they needed someone who can work across cultures to understand their particular stories and how to develop them when working in the medium of film in a European setting," she observed.
The Rooting with Tsitsi workshop was made possible through CCCB’s international residency program, in which Dangarembga participated early this year. “The collaboration reduced the logistical burdens, and created a middle ground where both organizations could align their goals, enabling Action Roots’ first internationally facilitated workshop led by a seasoned industry professional,” Jirari said.
Action Roots future plans include workshops for short films and feature projects, and production team leadership. Jirari also noted that they are looking to invite more industry experts like Tsitsi Dangarembga, who have a proven commitment to mentoring emerging storytellers from marginalised sectors to develop authentic narratives grounded in their own experiences for a global audience.
© pictures by Albert Uriach
