Film and media charity Mile End Community Project empower young people and the local community through creating short films, exhibitions and events. Founded in 1995, they have an amazing track record of socially engaged short films and have collaborated with Queen Mary researchers on many projects including Stories from Home and My Stories, My Words, My Mouth.
We are excited to announce a partnership with Mile End Community Project and BLOC, the new state of the art cinema and media research facility in Arts One. Over the next three years, MCP will bring local participants from their projects into BLOC for screenings, special events and practical workshops. This will create a platform to connect with more academics at QMUL and build deeper relationships with industry partners, forging new pathways for young people in Tower Hamlets.
C4CC are proud to be supporting this partnership, which will nurture a new generation of filmmakers through practical opportunities to make and see their own work, and share their perspectives and ideas through film and media.
Nurull Islam, co-founder of Mile End Community Project, said:
'This partnership is designed to address a pressing issue: limited opportunities for young people to thrive in the world of film and media. This is particularly acute in underrepresented communities where resources are scarce. In an ever-expanding film and media industry, it's essential that young people, especially from these communities, are encouraged and engaged in programs that inspire them.
One critical aspect is lack of diverse representation on big screens. Our easily accessible program understands the culture and preferences of young people and caters to the specific needs of our community.
What sets us apart and makes us well-suited to address this challenge is our extensive experience in youth media projects. Over the past decade, we have produced multiple award-winning films that tackle a wide range of topics, from addressing stereotypes to exploring phenomena like the "chicken and chips" culture.
We have successfully organised the Cutting East festival at Genesis Cinema, which is also supported by Queen Mary and has become a prominent platform for young talents. We've established valuable connections with esteemed production companies like Coffee&TV, Perspective Pictures and numerous filmmakers, editors, and creatives. Now we are building a new partnership with BLOC that will give our young people access to state-of-the-art cinema and editing facilities and connect them with inspiring academics and industry professionals. It’s exciting and we can’t wait to get started.'