The Edit Begins! News from WITH WINGS AND ROOTS (Newsletter)

Dear friends,

Greetings from Berlin, where we are currently editing WITH WINGS AND ROOTS. Spring is here and much has happened in the last months. Here is a quick summary:

• We completed 2 successful crowdfunding campaigns in the US and Germany, raising a total of $40,000

• We have built a Beta-Version of our interactive site (still password protected) as well as a new film website

• We kicked off a new community engagement project in Germany - (Un)heard Stories with teachers, students and NGO partners

• and of course, the team is growing!

  
  

The Edit Begins...

Six years of shooting means there is a lot of cutting to do! Thanks to your crowdfunding contributions we have been able to build an amazing post-production team to take on the edit of our 90-min documentary. This year we were thrilled to bring Aletta von Vietinghoff onboard to head this process as lead editor. You may have seen Audre Lorde: the Berlin Years, one of her last docs, which premiered at the Berlinale in 2012. In addition to Aletta, an energetic team of assistant editors and volunteers have joined us to support the post-production process. Everyday the film is becoming more vivid and real, and we are excited to share it soon!

Interactive Website's Beta Version is here!

We spent the last year designing, building and creating content for the site - editing 50 interviews for the Story Collection, and researching and writing a Timeline of Migration, Citizenship and Belonging for both the US and Germany. The anticipated launch of the site is Fall 2014. With the Beta-version built, we are currently collecting feedback on content and usability. If you are interested in sharing your thoughts, please get in touch: info@withwingsandroots.com

New Community Engagement Project in Berlin:

 (Un)heard Stories

 Our community engagement and education work is expanding. Ongoing screenings and workshops have been supplemented by a new Berlin-based project: (Un)heard Stories /(Un-)erhörte Geschichten. With support from the EVZ Foundation, we are conducting a series of workshops in Berlin that utilize our interactive timeline to explore migration history and collective violence, through media production and curriculum development activities. The project, undertaken in cooperation with Cultures Interactive, includes workshops with youth, teachers, and community organizations.  The first workshop was a half-day event where over 30 community organizers, academics and educators gathered to give targeted feedback on the content and approach of our timeline. Teacher and youth workshops start in May!

New York Workshop Opportunity

 If you or anyone you know is a public-school teacher in New York, you can access a free anti-bullying workshop made possible through a partnership with HEART. Sonny Singh, an educator who is featured in WITH WINGS AND ROOTS, can come to your classroom and screen our short film Article of Faith along with discussion and activities. Sonny is also available to facilitate screenings of Article of Faith and workshops at colleges, universities, and community centers For inquiries, email: info@withwingsandroots.com

THANK YOU!

 Thanks again to all of you who contributed to the success of our Kickstarter and Starnext campaigns, your energy and generosity are incredible! We will keep you posted as the film, website, and engagement work move ahead.