Author Archives: Zhenia Mahdi-Nau

Tapestry of Colours trailer to kick-start panel session at Belfast Media Festival 2013

BMF 2013

I’ve been excited for ages that there will be a panel session about Diversity in the Creative Industries at the next Belfast Media Festival that I’ll be a part of which will use the trailer of the film to kick-start the discussion. I can finally let the cat out of the bag!

Other panel memebers are Susan Lovell, Head of Commissioning, BBC NI, Stuart Cosgrove, Head of Creative Diversity, Channel 4 and Joyce Adeluwoye-Adams, Head of Diversity, PACT. It promises to be very interesting and quite possibly a bit challenging.

It’ll be at the Playhouse Theatre in Derry~Londonderry at 11am on Friday 13th September, following the Tapestry of Colours screening at Culture Tech Festival on 12th September at Orchard Cinema at 7:30pm. The event is open to BMF delegates only.

Click to visit Belfast Media Festival 2013

Tapestry of Colours to be screened at 2013 Culture Tech Festival

Culture Tech

Absolutely delighted that Tapestry of Colours will be screened with director’s Q&A at Culture Tech Festival in Derry~Londonderry this year. It will be on 12 September at 7pm at Orchard Cinema.

Last year I took a couple of days off from all the mad preparations for the preview of the film that was happening at the Lyric in Belfast in September and went to the first Culture Tech Festival. I wasn’t sure what to expect and ended up going to some amazing sessions. Who knew the film would be screened the following year at the festival! And it’ll be followed the next day by another really important event…watch this space for more info….

Click to see Culture Tech Tapestry of Colours page

After 11 more screenings of Tapestry of Colours in a row….

I can’t even begin to say how I feel after the 11 screenings and Q&As of Tapestry of Colours. Just back after the last one, in Strabane. To see Sin Fein, SDLP, DUP Councillors and PSNI representatives and other people, having watched my films Living in the Half Light and then Tapestry of Colours, and all moved by the films and totally sharing the same views on what they saw, the personal stories and the way the films were made and openly and warmly, without the least bit of friction, mistrust or criticism, discussing the implications and what they have learnt, and then all of them and the rest of the audience, without exception mesmerised and cheering and applauding the amazing performances by two incredibly talented musicians who feature on Tapestry of Colours, William Dundon, who happens to be a traveller and Fergal O’Brien…and showing me and my work appreciation you can only dream of…makes all the months of blood, sweat and tears to make the film and to bring it to this point of engagement worth while…it’s all truly truly humbling…You have to live in Northern Ireland to realise how significant and unbelievable all this is…

Tapestry of Colours – Derry Post

This article appeared in Derry Post in March after the screening in Magherafelt. The following is an excerpt from the article…

“Speaking following the film, Sean Henry, Good Relations Officer for Magherafelt District council said that the choice of people in the film and their experiences was amazing. This film, he said can teach viewers about cultural diversity, in a way that no training course could.”

Tapestry of Colours in Magherafelt

Tapestry of Colours – Londonderry Sentinel

This article appeared in Londonderry Sentinel just before the screening at the Nerve Centre today. The following is an excerpt from the interview…

The film brings to the surface the fact that, despite different beliefs and practices of cultures, essentially, there are human stories that bypass geography, race, belief or culture and are commonly experienced by all.

“She believes that “the quest to find who you are and to have a sense of belonging is not unique to any particular culture. It is this sense of belonging that helps to create the desire to contribute positively to the society we live in”

To read the article – click here

Ministers to host event to screen Tapestry of Colours in the NI Parliament Buildings

Very very excited to receive an email today from the office of First Minister and Deputy Minister in Northern Ireland to say that I will be contacted to make arrangements to host an event to screen “Tapestry of Colours” in Parliament Buildings….

UPDATE: Unfortunately this event has had to be put on hold until further notice due to difficulties in making practical arrangements

Incredible review of Banco De Gaia’s album ‘Apollo’ and my vocals

FREQ

It pretty much blew my mind reading this review on FREQ by Gary Parsons and such kind words about my vocals too:

“The album opens with “Lamentations” – soaring string-sounding synths build up beneath a beautiful vocal from Zhenia Mahdi-Nau, and the sound here is very reminiscent of Dead Can Dance as it conjures up the images of the ancient pagan temples clinging close to the cliff edges on Greek islands. Whether this is a lamentation to the crumbling state of these monuments or a lament for the rituals of old matters not, it is a powerful opener and one that casts a spell over the album…..“Acquiescence” closes the album, its breathless vocal chant bringing us back to the ancient temples where the sun is now setting casting deep its darkness until the stars begin to appear in the sky above like a shining carpet. Keyboards swell underneath an impassioned voice and we are left in its mood of sombre quiet as the music drifts off into the aether.

The album seems to tell a story (although it is certainly not a concept album) and bookended by two graceful tracks give the sense of the beginning and end of a journey. Was the album worth the seven year wait? I, for one, certainly think so.”

Click here to hear Lamentations

Click here to hear Acquiescence

To read the full review click here