Mapping Belonging
Aria Danaparamita, Mariana Duarte, Alexander Nevill, Ahmad Al Shehabi
21 June | Time: 13:00 | Venue: The Montgomery
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ABOUT THE WORKSHOP
Mapping Belonging is a 90-minute participatory workshop that deepens engagement with the (un)borderings exhibition.
Through conversation, collage and collective filmmaking, participants explore emotional responses to borders, migration and belonging. Inspired by the idea of bricolage, the session invites participants to work with writing, drawing, film stills and found images, combining materials in unexpected ways. You can also choose to take part in reflective filmmaking that expands on the themes of the exhibition.
Emphasising intuitive and collaborative participation, the workshop culminates in a collective visual artwork that reflects the perspectives and experiences of those present.
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Mita is a queer migrant lens-based artist, writer, and community organiser from Indonesia. A critical storyteller with international journalism and human rights expertise, their personal and community-based practice engages art as poetic resistance for collective liberation, often through the lens of land, place, and belonging. Bringing impactful storytelling into advocacy, they advise human rights organisations on policy and campaigns while engaged in grassroots organising.
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Mariana is a Brazilian filmmaker based in Scotland, whose work spans creative documentary and scripted formats with a focus on borders, ecology, and lived experience. A Berlinale Talents alumna, her films have been showcased at festivals such as Edinburgh, Aspen Shortsfest, São Paulo, and Rio de Janeiro. Her recent short, Headland, was commissioned by the Scottish Documentary Institute and won Best Mini-Doc at the Big Sky Doc Fest in 2025. Mariana is completing a PhD by practice in film at Edinburgh College of Art, focusing on migrant cinema.
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Alex is a director of photography and filmmaker based in Edinburgh, Scotland. He has been involved with several independent feature films and numerous short projects with a focus on creative non-fiction and artist's moving image work. His previous films include commissions from Creative England, Channel 4, Film London and have screened at international film festivals such as BFI London, Edinburgh, Palm Springs and IDFA. Alongside this, Alex is a Lecturer in Film and Moving Image at Edinburgh College of Art.
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Born a refugee in a Palestinian camp in Syria, Ahmad fled with his family before his teenage years, becoming part of a new generation of displaced people. This shaped him and fueled his passion for storytelling. In recent years, Ahmad has focused on film, and worked as a Director of Photography. Currently based in Gothenburg in Sweden. His works have been featured at local film festivals, reflecting his ability to reach people with his thoughtfully crafted and engaging stories.
EVENT INFO
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FREE ENTRY
Please purchase a free ticket via the ‘Book Tickets’ link.
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Doors Open: 12:45
Running Time: 13:00 - 14:30 -
Full Accessibility Information to be updated soon.
If you have any questions about your access needs in the meantime, please contact info@migrationmattersfestival.co.uk using the subject line ‘Accessibility at the festival’
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Age Guidance: All Ages
Content Warning: Mentions of war, displacement, border violence, and racism
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Image Still Credits
Image 1: Aria Danaparamita
Image 2: Mariana Duarte
Image 3: Alexander Nevill
Image 4: Ahmad Al Shehabi