Arts Centre Vooruit, Ghent, Belgium

The second edition of Almost Cinema will open with a gripping documentary about the humanitarian crisis in Darfur. Documentary filmmaker Paul Freedman was so shocked about how little attention the atrocities in the Sudanese region received in the media, that he decided to make a documentary about the conflict himself. He chose to use a serene approach: no excessive information, but images that speak volumes and gripping interviews. None other than actor George Clooney (US) lent his voice to Sand and Sorrow while also co-producing.

After the screening of the film, Sudanese singer Rasha will take the stage. She grew up in Khartoum and therefore has an insider’s view of the situation in Sudan. Fleeing from ethnicity conflicts, she moved to Spain ten years ago. On stage, Rasha uses her powerful voice to mix traditional African music, Arabic poetry and reggae.