Former EastEnders actress Leila Birch will be hosting the UK premiere of the short film documentary she produced, ASYLUM, at London’s BAFTA headquarters at 195 Piccadilly, on 21st April 2010.
Asylum is a film dedicated to the children of Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran and other areas of human conflict. “We have enabled young people who have been through unspeakable traumas, many of whom are still in pain, to show us their experiences through drama, art and music. By sharing their stories through their laughter and their tears, they are able to begin to heal some of their wounds. By allowing these kids to express their feelings we can improve our understanding of their cultures and difficulties and can work together to a positive future,” says Leila.
Leila - who played feisty teenager Teresa di Marco opposite Joe Absolom and Martin Kemp and enjoyed some of the most explosive scenes in the long running drama series - has been working as a volunteer for the Charity ‘Youth Support’ for some years, introducing drama workshops for disturbed children, ex-gang teens and abuse victims in the UK, Los Angeles, and Kingston Jamaica. A few years ago the charity became involved in helping the young refugees from Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran and (although not shown in the film), the trafficked girls from Africa.
Dr Diana Birch, Leila’s mother, founded the charity Youth Support in 1986 in response to the lack of services for teenagers, particularly abused young people and those struggling with poverty, absent families or parents who just did not care. In the UK many were 'in care', pregnant schoolgirls or psychologically disturbed by abusive childhoods. Internationally they were poor and lacking opportunities. “We work on the 'front line' and have achieved a great deal on shoestring budgets, introducing youth to creativity and allowing them to hope for a better future,” says Dr. Birch.
The project began when Leila and other volunteers decided to hold a Drama and Art workshop and wanted to film it for their archives. “As planning got underway, we realized that this little project could really help raise awareness for the charity and the cause,” continues Leila. “So I pulled in as many people as I could to help us create this touching film.”
The Charity ‘Youth Support’ has been working with young refugees and asylum seekers who arrive in foreign countries destitute and traumatised having often travelled illegally stowed away in trucks and containers. They are preyed on by ‘agents’ who traffic these ‘human commodities’ and force them to face life-threatening ordeals. Sadly when they arrive in their new countries they do not always meet welcoming arms. They may face prejudice, lack of understanding and further abuse.
A new book, ‘Asylum Seeking Children’, written by Diana Birch, will be published to support the work being done by Youth Support, describing her valuable work in Afghanistan and with the young people in UK plus a big section on Age Assessment and development of young people.
www.asylumfilm.com
