Silence Heard Loud
Silence Heard Loud is a film directed by Warsaw-based filmmaker and artist Anna Konik in collaboration with Birkbeck’s Compass Project.
In the film we meet seven individuals from six countries who journeyed to the UK in search of safety—fleeing from war, terrorism, ethnic hatred, persecution, and domestic violence. But the issues now facing Angela, Janahan, Merwa, Michael, Mohamed, Nirmala, and Selamawit are complex: endless asylum procedures with no permission to work, uncertainty about their futures, and the loneliness of longing for family and home. After many years of integrating into their new local communities and rebuilding their lives, their futures are still under threat. At any moment, the UK Home Office could force them to leave their lives and the relationships they have forged. This artfully crafted film is a reminder of the struggles facing members of our community, and the continued fight for refugees to find freedom and dignity as they navigate the British asylum system.
Birkbeck’s Compass Project, launched in 2016, is a programme designed for and targeted towards people from forced migrant backgrounds who would like to continue their education at university. Its Sanctuary Scholarships sponsor twenty students per year at undergraduate or postgraduate level. At the heart of this provision is a commitment to ensuring that the university is welcoming, supportive, and accessible to students who face many barriers to access and inclusion in the higher education context. For more information on the Compass Project, see Birkbeck’s website. Anna Konik has also directed a short film on this project, titled A Road to Travel, which focuses on the students’ university experience and the difference the Compass Project has made to their lives.
Silence Heard Loud premiered at the Human Rights Watch film festival with a screening at the Barbican Centre on Thursday 17 March 2022. It is available to watch online on the Human Rights Watch Film Festival streaming platform from 17–25 March 2022. Register and watch here.
