THEY STARTED THE SECOND CHAPTER OF THE EXCITING BOOK 

AND THIS TIME,

THE ROAD TOOK THEM TO BOURNEMOUTH UNIVERSITY IN UK.

driven by the same desire, to

change the world through the arts,

they discovered also the importance of

friendship, compassion and love.

These are their thoughts and feelings...

Arriving at bournemouth University

THOUGHTS ABOUT CHANGE

Before I was being me.
During I was striving to be better, more open, more understanding.
After? Who knows. One will hope that this stretch will allowed for some insight and that this insight will allow for some space for goodness and kindness to grow stronger.
I am unsure of it but it feels good to try… Together.

- Shared by Lora

Before TCFT, I used to work only in my profession (acting), and TCFT inspired and encouraged me to start work with youth and adults and to educate them in drama and theatre.. TCFT showed me with inclusive workshops that we are all the same and because of that, I started cooperating in my performances with associations that promote shadow interpreting method in Serbia.

- Shared by Katarina

Video shared by Naomi

Who am I/who was I?
Who I was before TCFT and who I am now is completely unrecognizable. It’s been such a transformative experience I have been free to realize in life what is important to myself and also how I can help others in the process of achieving their goals on an international scale. As a sufferer of depression and anxiety, being a part of this community helped me to grow strength and be happy in doing something creative with new friends. The TCFT community have helped me through a time of struggle when I lost my dad a year ago and they continue to support me in the creative work I produce and the overwhelming emotions in response to this traumatic event in my life. The project has introduced me to many people who can relate to my situation and support me in my time of grief through the arts, in a way I otherwise wouldn’t have been able to discover on my own. I am still on a journey of discovery during this project as I am learning more about myself and the current issues internationally. Speaking and listening to the various participants from different countries educates me on wider communities the way the media never could; allowing me to have educated opinions and a voice that can be heard and valued.

- Shared by Zoe

MENTORING WITHIN TCFT

Robert Golden - Aug 31 2016

I am not a born teacher but a practicing filmmaker and photographer. Over the years I have hosted in my studios or met on location many young people wishing to be film-makers or photographers. Although I have always tried to convince them to use the tools at their disposal (phone cameras, inexpensive video/photo editing software) to experiment, to make, to explore, many have found it a struggle to be self-motivated. All too often they need to be told by those who employ them that experimentation is worthwhile. Usually that advice has not been forthcoming because the employers see no need to encourage, nor recognise future profits for themselves. In other words, those young people do not live in a supportive environment

Mentoring within the TCFT projects has been a completely different experience. For the most part, the young people who take-part are self-selecting in that they have either nominated to come on their own or have accepted invitations from partner organizations to join the project. Their willingness defines one of the most wonderful qualities of being alive –curiosity.

I believe the intellectual and emotional atmosphere conceived by Tina and created by those who partner, encourages the desire to create, to do one’s best, to do so in a non-competitive way with mutual help and support so obviously becoming a part of the process for all, and to explore curiosity while daring to fail. Together these provide a powerful fruitful atmosphere in which to do, to make and to dream.

For me than, as a mentor, I am joyous about the quality of what my workshop members have been able to rise to in so short a time. The clarity and in some cases the complexity of what they have done with accomplished technical skills previously not know to them, has amazed me.

I believe this set of accomplishments is not only a testament to the TCFT project, but to the endless and all to often untapped talents and skills left unexamined in the minds and hearts of our young people. And they, these wonderful brave people who created beautiful and poetic images and films will, I hope, come to recognise their huge potential and also their responsibility to those even younger. This is in part how TCFT will humanise our world.

Robert Golden

- Film created by Mary Melodies

"There are many differences between Romania and England, but one feeling followed me around the world – the distinct sentiment that my thoughts, statements and sometimes mere existence is somehow off-putting to the other sex.

Trying to get to the core of what we want to express as filmmakers in the Film and Photography course with Robert Golden, I ended up going back to the same idea as a starting point: why am I always apologizing?

In an attempt to explore how the Personal is Political, and with the aid of a great cast willing to trust the end result, not really knowing what it was going to be, “An Apology” came to life after five days of filming and editing at Bournemouth University."

- Shared by Mary

- Photography and film by Filip Jokanovic

"I wanted to create the portraits of the people with whom I interacted before, to capture through photography, primary emotions like fear, sadness, loneliness. In order to achieve that, I used mostly one source of light so I could play with the shadows and underline the mystery that appeared on their faces, focusing on their eyes."

- Shared by Filip

- Photography and film by Telsia Brake

"They workshop was amazing, I was so inspired by the work of others and Robert Golden was brilliant. I guess what I was trying to achieve with my film was showing people how interesting and passionate and complicated individuals are, basically showing the true nature of people."

- Shared by Telsia

- Photography and film by Keti Gorgiladze

"It was my first experience with steel camera, so it was a big challenge for me. Only by working, discussing or just speaking around this theme with Robert gave me great stimulus and knowledge also about life. After two weeks within TCFT, I went back to Georgia with experience, knowledge and new ideas ...I can say that TCFT gave me not only new friends but my first steel film "ELLA" which was my first step in a new stage in my life."

- Shared by Keti

- Photography and film by Jaz Hussey

"TCFT was a completely new experience for me. Never before had I been surrounded by so many amazing people with such brilliant, creative minds and beautiful, open hearts. Without this project I would never have had the opportunity to meet such fantastic people in such a relaxed environment that was perfect for creative development and expression. They were two of the greatest weeks of my life where I created vivid memories that I will surely never forget."

- Shared by Jaz

- Film by Nicoloz Gagloshvili

"Feel TCFT"

- Shared by Nicoloz Gagloshvili, Georgia

- Photography and film by Marko Stankovic

"My goal was to briefly show thru this short film some of the techniques we learned at the photography and film workshop. I'm thankful for everything I learned during this summer's TCFT in UK. Looking forward to learn more and improve my skills."

- Shared by Marko

- Photography and film by Irina Maria Ganescu

"I'm thankful that this year in UK I had the opportunity to create this together with a wonderful team, a great mentor, Robert Golden and also amazing equipment. A rare chance that I could have only dreamed of. 

This piece is a fragment of a story that I wanted to tell since long time ago. A story about love with it's ups and downs, like a roller coaster. But most of all, is a story about faith."

- Shared by Irina

"I think it is important to highlight that the young artists learned a complex language in a short space of time. I saw my groups begin to 'click' in terms of narrative possibilities after the first week.  It was a joy to watch - they became excited and full of ideas once they understood the medium."

Susan Sloan

A little bit of London

- Photos by Irina

It is not easy to put in words what TCFT did for me. It influenced my work, my perspective, as well as my everyday life. What makes it special are all the people who are creating it. It's amazing how much a small conversation with an artist can have a huge impact in our lives. People whom I've had pleasure meeting during the project did so much for me - they made me laugh, they made me think, they encouraged me to be who I choose to be. And it is that special bond that has me coming back to TCFT every year.

- Shared by Nina

FIRST DAYS

Irina had this amazing idea to write about our free time. I looked back at my first day during TCFT 2016. I was seriously struggling to find a moment that could qualify as “free time”. Was it free time when I was sitting at reception, waiting for all our international friends to come? It was merely for chunks of 10 or 15 minutes at a time but these moments were filled with nothing but quiet expectation so… were they free time? Or was it when we had dinner? Surely we had dinner. I can’t remember what happen right now but I am sure dinner happened. Or perhaps it boils down to the moment I got to my designated room, in the evening. It must have been ten or ten thirty. It smelled a bit like an old people’s home, a bit like a dusty museum and a bit like sport shoes. I had opened the window earlier yet… It was still raining, quietly too. That was perhaps free time because no one else could now claim it for themselves. It was me time. I had a shower, put my pj’s on and slipped into bed. A little nostalgia made my inner self shiver: I had left my job back home and had embarked onto this unknown journey. I was surrounded by strangers yet there were friends also… The wind was blowing outside and I thought to myself that I did not pack properly, that I wasn’t ready. As I wondered about the small things in life I closed my eyes and my free time gave way to the night and the night took me in its arms and I was one with time and it was time… to be free.

- Shared by Lora

great day by the sea

By coming to this place some things get close to me. With the help of real people who are amongst the best in their profession it was easy for me to expand my views. Also my hunger for knowledge and experience is growing more and more. I can't wait to see what's more to come.

- Shared by Sasa

TCFT 2016 was an amazingly unique experience that took me on a journey I never expected and left me with an abundance of memories.  One of my standout memories was leading out in curating and hosting TCFT’s first Poetry/Spoken Word night.

Although I was frustrated and upset at the beginning due to a late start, I was overflowing with emotion and happiness by the end.  Every performer brought something different and wonderful to the event, resulting in tears, fits of laughter and shouts of admiration.  I even performed some spoken word, which allowed me to express the inner turmoil I’d felt during the first week and the past five months. 

Most memories were created with the friends I spent priceless moments with over the two weeks.  I remember walking through the rain on the day of arrival and coming face-to-face with my beauties from Bosnia, hearing the familiar call of “Shaniqua” from Ljubiša and hugging them closely.  The time spent speaking to Saaf in Sainsbury’s and cementing a friendship with him in that moment.  Speaking to Saša about music over dinner, and getting excited because I had met another Enrico.  The evening I engaged in a weirdly long handshake with Miguel after being introduced to him by Rory.

Having Rory around was like being treated to a walking show, with him bursting into song and dance on a regular basis, and I’m going to miss hearing his catchphrase, “We have fun”, which I think will be forever engrained in my mind.  He was also like my superhero, picking me up when I fell and propping me up during the process, with some help from Filip.    

I enjoyed being reunited with my 2015 roommates, Ellie and Naomi, who brought me countless laughs.  Ellie was my partner in crime, who gave me a constant source of support and Naomi came later, finally making our trio complete.  I also enjoyed getting to know my housemates from this year, Mary and Naomi M, who I was meeting for the first time and quickly bonded with.

Most of my nights were spent up with my Bosnian beauties, who gave me two new nicknames, Shefika and Sheki, which I quickly grew to love.  My mind is filled with Sandra’s blunt statements and stories, Mirza’s dancing, Nina wearing one of my twists in her hair, and so much more.

However, one of the most beautiful memories of TCFT 2016 came from one particular friend who helped me to believe I could find love again, which I’m truly grateful for.  I found myself able to open up, let down the barriers of my heart and actually embrace my feelings for the first moment in a really long period of time, which alone made this year’s TCFT completely worth it for me. 

- Shared by Shaniqua

langton matravers

- Shared by Lidija

A Romanian hobbit’s tale

Once upon a time, in a land far away, where people drank beer, had fun and ate great food, a land called Romania, there lived a girl, named Alexandra. She was recruited to participate in a very important mission to bring solidarity amongst all creatures of the earth realm. She accepted this mission and started her adventure. She traveled a long way, to a dark and rainy land, called England, in a small town, Bournemouth.

The moment she arrived she felt the cold and the rain on her skin and realized she left the warmth of her home behind. There, in Bournemouth she met with people that she had met before and was happy to see them again, but she also met new people that she looked forward to befriend.

There were creatures from all over the realm, gathered together, united and ambitious to finding THE TRUTH. Alexandra met with her great friend, Alex, a human, blessed with the voice of an angel, from the Sun Lands, her hobbit neighbors from Serbia, knights and ladies from England and many others.

The process of finding the truth proved to be difficult, and everyone was using their special skills and talents to contribute. I was helping Alex, because as you all know, hobbits have great taste in music, and through beautiful sounds we were searching for the essence of truth. Others were using other kinds of magic, like painting, writing, dancing…

Still, after a while we grew tired… Although we had the chance to go to the beach, clear our minds, meditate, talk to the spirits, us hobbits, we need different kinds of rest. Hobbits are rare, you see, and not many people know how to entertain us. But this, soon is about to change…

You see, one night, after working hard all day, Sir Billy, an outstanding knight of the Complete Table decided to kidnap us and take us on an adventure. Riding the magical Bijou truck into the sunset, Sir Billy promised to take us to the most magical place in England.

After a while, we entered the oldest city I have ever seen… All the houses made of stone, and on the cliff you could see the ruins of a great castle belonging to the kings of old. Billy said “where I’m about to take you is the oldest and most magical place in the land”. The Serbian hobbits were so excited they started to sing and dance.

We arrived right after sunset and the place was full of people. We went around the stoned pub and found a garden with big wooden tables, like they were made for Vikings. Sir Billy treated us with the best local bear and cider and the most delicious meat pie. There we were, an English knight and a hand full of hobbits, away from everything, sinking in the simple joy of being in that place and, of course, our homeland tobacco. Not long after we arrived, some other creatures form the group appeared: the famous wizard, Jon, known for his ability to float on a cloud, and his travel companions, Eilis and Hayley, northern elves.

They joined us in laughter and storytelling and the night was going great. In the background we could hear the band singing inside, the most beautiful music I’ve ever heard, perfectly suited for a dancing hobbit like myself. I wanted to go see them, but inside there were all sorts of big and tall creatures, very difficult to pass by a hobbit.

Then Eilis took me by the hand and said “Follow me, I’ll get you to the front so you can see the band”. The rest of the hobbits followed and just like that, also with the biggest good will from the other creatures, we ended up in the front line cheering for the band. We danced, we sang and felt like time had stopped for us. We didn’t want to return home… But the band eventually finished singing and we had to return. Going back to the wooden table, Jon sees that we’re a little upset to be leaving so he asks me: “ Have you ever seen a shooting star?” and I say “ No, I just heard about them”. So he pulls out his wand and waves it at the sky and stars start to fall in the most beautiful light show. We all spent another hour and a half at least with our heads tilted back looking for shooting stars… we kept doing that until we arrived back home.

Sir Billy gave us a warm hug and wished us good night. Our thanks weren’t enough to show how much it meant to us. He helped me find the TRUTH I was looking for. You see, there are moments like these in life when you feel like time has stopped just for a little while, so you can enjoy it and be happy that you are alive. The truth is that, nowadays there are so few of these moments for each of us, that sometimes we forget to live, or to smile or to enjoy the simple things in life. The truth is we need people like Billy or Jon around us, to sprinkle some magic from time to time and remind us that we can have fun, laugh and be ourselves no matter what. In return we can do the same for other people.

Let’s learn to be the knights and wizards in other people’s stories, because I know that is one truth that everyone can have! 

- Shared by Alexandra

My name is Ana and I am a clarinetist studying in Lisbon Superior Music School. I am also a player at Setubal Youth Ensemble, an inclusive group that involves professional musicians, people with disabilities and even some that didn’t learn music at all, so they start their learning with us.

My first time on TCFT was in May 2015 when Ian Richie asked me to go to Srebrenica and present the Ensemble. I had no idea to what I was going for, nut as soon as I met the people with whom I would be for these days I felt listened and equal. During those three days of preparation for August, I became more aware of what we were doing and the excitement grew and grew, from then to August when I got back with more people from Youth Ensemble.

During the two weeks we were always busy, running from one place to other, carrying instruments and making new connections.
As many other things in life, the learning and the transformation need time to really settle in ourselves, but this is big.

 I have to say that my vision of Srebrenica changed during those weeks. It started as a place with very sad past and population attached to it. But by the end of the two weeks I saw the hope appearing in the eyes of the young among us.

This experience made me see my own life from a different angle. My losses, my down moments and problems change completely. Instead of being a weight, the bad things that happened to me are now lessons, and instead of forgetting them, I now value them as I value good moments.

 I also became even more aware of the difficulties that disabilities, colour, shape and height create in someone’s life. However, more than ever I love difference. Difference is knowledge and progress.

- Shared by Ana

Before TCFT I was extremely introverted about sharing experiences with other people. During the TCFT in Srebrenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, last year, and now in Bournemouth, UK, mentors and other participants helped, encouraged and empowered me to freely communicate and share my thoughts, my works and to discuss more. And what is the most important to open my mind, heart and soul.

- Shared by Lara

TCFT empowered me to work on multimedia contents and to gather group to creatively express ideas.
Also, the great benefit was education that I got from experts from different fields of art and I'm really glad that those strong connections still last.

- Shared by Lidija

small shared moments

My whole life I wanted to travel and that desire got me involved in this project. And I thank that idea for giving me the opportunity of meeting so many incredible people and encounter so many different kinds of art. When people gather to do art, the first act of art is life itself, that changes in a great amount of ways. I found myself in an accepting and loving environment that allowed me to be who I am. Being myself created a chain reaction of good events in my life. Through all the good, something amazing happened: I became aware of the world and all the beauty in it, no matter where or when and had much more courage to try new things and expand my horizon, more and more.  I can say with all my heart and out loud that this project changed my life! 

- Shared by Irina

When TCFT first started I was curious to see how gathering of one hundred creative people will look like, how it involve and what was possible with that amount of energy. Then through almost three years I came to the knowledge that individual growth that one experience on this path is the most important thing. I came to the knowledge that human exchange through creative arts and culture in a shape of mutual care, respect and kindness is the only driving force that can contradict to the global collapse of mind that we are facing now. Therefore I would like to thank to all tcft stuff, participants and collaborators for unconditional love and kindness they share with us and the world. I always feel inspired and I would like in the future for tcft to continue to contribute to the young people in their individual growth. 

- Shared by Nevena

"Since my mother told me
The evening, at the time of sleep,
Dishonest, corrupt, thieves,
Never unions will form

Follows the band of lies
To the abyss without knowing
In the humble people lifes
Without ever having to die

The true, my gentleman
Is that
There ensare without knowing how
There are those who lie without trying
Living furious
In a waking nightmare
A lie to death

What I tell you my lords
What I will never forget
Is the true story, untold
Of the dead at birth
Liars,
Is to forget"

Poem by Mario

last moments together

Photographs by Robert Golden