Filmmaker Bassel Ghandour on Authentic Representation and Storytelling in Film

In the Season 8 finale, we’re joined by Oscar-nominated and BAFTA-winning writer and director Bassel Ghandour.Bassel shares his insights on filmmaking in the Arab world and the ongoing struggle for authentic representation in Western cinema, where stories are often distorted or oversimplified.We explore the making of his acclaimed feature films Theeb and The Alleys, and he speaks to the vital role research plays in his storytelling.The conversation also turns to the future of cinema in a landscape increasingly shaped by streaming platforms, blockbuster formulas, and algorithm-driven content.As always, if you are enjoying the Art Persists podcast please leave a review wherever you listen. Only with your help can these important stories be heard.Learn more: https://www.boslaarts.com/tapp-bassel-ghandour

This week, we’re joined by Sudanese graffiti artist, graphic designer, and visual artist Assil Diab, also known as ‘Sudalove’.When the Sudanese Revolution erupted in 2018 and protesters began to be killed, Assil responded by painting powerful murals honouring those who lost their lives at the hands of the regime. We speak to her about the role of art in resistance and remembrance, and the deep emotional weight behind her work.Assil also reflects on her connection to Sudan, growing up abroad, the oppression she experienced during the revolution, and how life has changed since she was forced to leave.As always, if you are enjoying the Art Persists podcast please leave a review wherever you listen. Only with your help can these important stories be heard.Learn more: https://www.boslaarts.com/tapp-assil-diab

This week on the podcast, we’re joined by the acclaimed sculptor Sokari Douglas Camp.Sokari takes us through her remarkable journey in steel sculpture - how she discovered the medium, and how it became a powerful tool for creating monumental, research-driven, and at times, kinetic works of art.She reflects on her early life in Rivers State, Nigeria, her adoption, and the experience of being sent to England as a young child.We chat about a couple of her works including Battle Bus, a memorial to murdered activist Ken Saro-Wiwa which was seized upon entering Nigeria by authorities and never seen again.Learn more: https://www.boslaarts.com/tapp-sokari-douglas-campAs always, if you are enjoying the Art Persists podcast please leave a review wherever you listen. Only with your help can these important stories be heard.

In this episode, we sit down with comedian and entrepreneur Usman Khalid.Usman shares his remarkable life story - from growing up in Pakistan to navigating life in the UK without papers. He shares his harrowing experience in a UK detention centre and the systemic mistreatment he faced.Usman goes on to tell us about founding Haven Coffee, a social enterprise that supports refugee communities across the UK. We also dive into his life in comedy and the creation of Laff-Uccino, a hugely popular stand-up night spotlighting incredible talent from refugee and migrant backgrounds.As always, if you are enjoying the Art Persists podcast please leave a review wherever you listen. Only with your help can these important stories be heard.Learn more: https://www.boslaarts.com/tapp-usman-khalidVisit Haven Coffee: https://www.havencoffee.co.ukGet tickets to the next Laff-Uccino show: https://bigpennysocial.co.uk/whats-on/laff-ucino-shappi-khorsandi

Gazan visual artist and author Malak Mattar joins us on the podcast. She talks about growing up in Gaza - facing bombing her entire life and dealing with notions of home.She goes on to talk about the cultural destruction of Gaza - how all the schools, universities, galleries and museums that once inspired her have been now been totally destroyed. How the artists she admired and the teachers who gave her the confidence to be an artist have been killed. And yet, she refuses to give up. And she refuses to stop making art.Learn more: https://www.boslaarts.com/tapp-malak-mattarAs always, if you are enjoying the Art Persists podcast please leave a review wherever you listen. Only with your help can these important stories be heard.

The Art Persists podcast is back with Season 8! Kicking off the new season, we’re joined by Dione Roach and Steve Happi (aka Vidou H), founders of Jail Time Records - a music label born inside the Central Prison of Douala, Cameroon.In this episode, Dione and Steve share the remarkable story of how the label came to life: from Dione’s early workshops in the prison, to Steve’s unjust 18-month pre-trial detention, and the collaboration that followed. Since its founding in July 2018, Jail Time Records has transformed the lives of incarcerated artists, offering them not just a creative outlet but a path toward reintegration.The project has since expanded with a studio outside the prison in Douala, and most recently, a new recording facility inside Ouagadougou’s prison in Burkina Faso.Learn more: https://www.boslaarts.com/tapp-jail-time-recordsAs always, if you are enjoying the Art Persists podcast please leave a review wherever you listen. Only with your help can these important stories be heard.

Hello listeners and viewers!Georgia and Faz here - hosts of the Art Persists podcast. Season 8 starts next Wednesday - we are so excited for you to hear from our incredible guests. We really want to thank you all for sticking by us for 8 whole seasons. It's been a truly amazing experience. If you are enjoying the podcast please make sure you follow us and give us a rating! Enjoy! Georgia & Faz x

For our Season 7 finale, we are joined by Iranian photographer and activist Reihane Taravati.Reihane shares her story of growing up in Iran and the significant challenges she faced as a young woman pursuing a career in photography.In April 2022, she had the unique opportunity to photograph Narges Mohammadi, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning activist and human rights defender, during a brief release from prison. These powerful images would later be used to announce Narges' winning of the Nobel Prize. Today, she remains behind bars.Reihane reflects on the profound responsibility she felt in capturing Narges in her home environment that day.If you’re enjoying the Art Persists podcast, please consider leaving a review wherever you listen. With your support, we can ensure these vital stories reach more listeners.Learn more: https://www.boslaarts.com/tapp-reihane-taravatiFollow Bosla Arts on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boslaarts/

This week, we’re joined by Belarusian poet, translator, and writer Hanna Komar.Hanna shares her early life, growing up in a small village in Belarus, where she found comfort in poetry, and later discovered the power of writing poetry in Belarusian rather than Russian.She recounts the nationwide protests following the rigged presidential elections in Belarus, in which long-time President Lukashenka seized power once again. The protests were met with a fierce crackdown on activists, leading to Hanna and thousands of others being imprisoned.While sharing her story, Hanna also recites some of her deeply powerful and emotive poetry. She concludes by telling us about her upcoming play, Body in Progress, coming to London next month.As always, if you are enjoying the Art Persists podcast please leave a review wherever you listen. Only with your help can these important stories be heard.Learn more: https://www.boslaarts.com/tapp-hanna-komarFollow Bosla Arts on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boslaarts/

This week, we are joined by artist and activist Peter Kennard.Since the 1970s, Kennard has produced some of the world’s most influential works of resistance and protest. From the Vietnam War and the anti-Apartheid movement to the war in Ukraine and the siege on Gaza, Peter’s five decades of work have been dedicated to fighting for justice and holding power to account.We talk at length about his career, as well as his latest exhibition, Archive of Dissent, currently on display at the Whitechapel Gallery in London.As always, if you are enjoying the Art Persists podcast please leave a review wherever you listen. Only with your help can these important stories be heard.Learn more: https://boslaarts.com/tapp-peter-kennardFollow Bosla Arts on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boslaarts/