GRANADA NIGHTS EDUCATIONAL
Screening Event Proposal
Our proposal is to create an event around the conversation of “study abroad” with an exclusive private screening of GRANADA NIGHTS.
Granada Nights is a self-discovery feature film about the study abroad experience in Spain. A fictional movie that is authentic to the rights of passage of a typical international student; from adapting to a foreign country, culture and language, to developing friendships and a sense of belonging with other foreigners.
The movie contains documentary elements that highlight the diverse culture in Granada from Easter processions to Andalusian gypsy flamenco in the caves of Sacromonte to Moorish influences such as the Tea rooms, Moorish baths and the Alhambra Palace. The movie is a love letter to Granada, Spain and authentic to the Study Abroad experience.
OUR AIM
- A Call to young people to partake in study/work abroad.
- To encourage the mobility of young people around Europe.
- to show value in the community of young international people, living, studying and working together.
- Advert for the EU and the importance of retaining social fabric between young people from multiple countries.
- Increase tolerance and understanding of other cultures
- Life is short and fleeting, The Erasmus experience is finite and special opportunity for self-development and a great stepping stone into adulthood.
SYNOPSIS
A British-Pakistani tourist struggles to mend his broken heart. After a sudden breakup with his girlfriend he finds himself lost and isolated in the foreign city of Granada, Spain.
It’s only when he befriends a group of young international students that he starts to push himself out of his comfort-zone. From the Easter Processions, Moorish influences and Flamenco Gypsies he immerses himself in the many cultures that inhabit the city.
With his new foreign friends, he enrols on a Spanish class, moves into their apartment and tries to restart his life. But behind every corner is a reminder of his ex-girlfriend and his struggle to find closure.
How to set up a screening event
There are many options when it comes to licensing the movie, as a screening can take many forms. However we feel that an event that builds a conversation around “study abroad” is more beneficial to students and our shared goals.
These conversations can take shape as Q&A sessions or discussions with students after a a screening. A panel with your study abroad department, faculty members and former Erasmus students can bring value to your event by providing students with information and options in an entertaining way.
The screening can illustrate the richness of a study abroad experience in Spain and amplify the importance of study abroad to self-development.
We’re planning screenings in 2020 and if you’re interested please contact abid@eyefivefilms.com for more details and a bespoke licence quote.
Our Partners
We have been supported by ESN (Erasmus Student Network) who promoted our crowdfunding campaign: https://esn.org/news/granada-nights-study-abroad-film
as well as Filmosofia School and ESN Granada helping us with the production of the film and Centro de Lenguas Modernas by allowing us to shoot documentary footage and film scenes in the lanuage school. https://www.esngranada.org/news/granada-nights-movie-esn-granada
Why is it important to hold a screening event?
- COVID-19 outbreak has caused schools and universities to close and disappointed Erasmus students have returned to their home countries with many not knowing when and if they can resume their studies. Certain programmes are closed until 2021 and in a post-virus world, study abroad numbers will drop significantly as students will feel a false sense of security in their home countries and will be hesitant in enrolling on a study abroad programme.
- BEXIT threatens the movement of students and although ERASMUS+ is still active many of the real values of working together with our European partners have been forgotten and buried through acts of division and fear that have been created.
- Rise of the Far Right has caused fear over certain communities and there is a lack of tolerance and understanding of different cultures and what it means to be a young foreigner living in a foreign country. By opening the film out to a wider community we remind people to share in our similarities whilst celebrating our differences.
Filmmaker and Actor Q&As
The director Abid Khan and cast including Antonio Aakeel, have presented dozens of screenings of Granada Nights, from festivals and to private events around the world.
Having the filmmaker and actors at your screening gives your students the opportunity to connect with Abid and hear the story of how a young student turned filmmaker journey on a 12 year quest to make a singular feature film based on his study abroad experience. See the directors statement below for a more details.
Educational licence options
The movie can be licensed separately as a library title in the form of:
- Online streaming licence for one year or a lifetime licence.
- DVD with study abroad guide and access to extra video content.
- Discussion guide designed to stimulate classroom and academic discussions.
- Include the film in your library, to make it available to any teacher or student at any time.
Depending on your budget, we can scope a bespoke license that fits your needs. The educational offer is only being offered for a limited time only.
Director’s statement
During university I applied for study abroad and spent months preparing my module choices and filling out forms, only to find out that my co-ordinator had not processed anything and I was left without any study abroad option. The experience upset me greatly as I had great desire to live and study in a foreign country.
After graduation, I decided to enrol on a Spanish Language course at Centro de Lenguas Modernas in Granada, Spain. I immersed myself in a new culture, new language and developed friendships with Erasmus students who became part of an extended international family. These friendships and our shared experience in a foreign culture, changed our lives.
I wanted to capture this experience and there was no film that really captured the real authentic experience of Erasmus. Many movies about teenagers abroad were over the top, superficial and focussed on sex, romance, drinking and partying and I wanted to focus more on the real issues that affect students like identity, adapting to a foreign culture and friendships with other foreigners. I wanted to target the “cultural” student and focused on the real values of study abroad.
cast
Granada Nights international cast included up-and-coming, breakthrough and
diverse talent from Spain, France, Portugal, Sweden, USA and UK.
Lead actor is Antonio Aakeel Screen International Star of Tomorrow.
Antonio Aakeel
(TOMB RAIDER, EATEN BY LIONS)
as BEN
Oscar Casas
(CUÉNTAME, THE ORPHANAGE, INSTINTO)
as LUCAS
Laura Frederico
(FATIMA)
as SILVIA
Julius Fleischanderl
(SAMI BLOOD)
as OSCAR
Quintessa Swindell
(Trinkets, VOYAGERS)
as AMELIA
Virgile Bramly
(INCEPTION, MANDERLAY, KILL SKILLS)
as BIG DAVE
Tábata Cerezo
(THE MALLORCA FILES, THE NIGHT MANAGER)
as ELLA
Alice Sanders
(HOW TO TALK TO GIRLS AT PARTIES, TRENDY)
as HELEN
Giovanni Battaglia
(Polina and the mystery of a film studio)
as GIOVANNI
Isabel Guardiola
(The Silence of the White City)
as KATRIN
Laura Dafne
(Salome XXI)
as PACA
Ezra Faroque Khan
(DOCTOR STRANGE, BERLIN STATION)
as BILAL
EYEFIVE FILMS presents a GRANADA NIGHTS LTD production
a film by ABID KHAN
starring
ANTONIO AAKEEL, OSCAR CASAS, LAURA FREDERICO, JULIUS FLEISCHANDERL, VIRGILE BRAMLY, EZRA FAROQUE KHAN, QUINTESSA SWINDELL, TÁBATA CEREZO, LETICIA MARIN, LAURA DAFNE, ISABEL GUARDIOLA, GIOVANNI BATTAGLIA AND ALICE SANDERS
written by ABID KHAN
casting by LOUISE COLLINS
production design by PAULA GIMENEZ & ADRIANA HERVAS
costume by AMELIA BIANCHI
music by ANDREA BOCCADORO
edited by FIONA BRANDA
cinematography by OSSI JALKANEN
produced & directed by ABID KHAN
