Documentary 'We Are Many' tells the largest demonstration in history

Top comedian Omid Djalili is to preview his new film, We Are Many, at the University of Roehampton this month with students and other visitors getting the opportunity to ask him questions about the documentary on the Iraq war.

Omid Djalili, who acts as executive producer on the film, will be joined at the preview by the documentary’s director, Amir Amirani. The film will premiere at the 2015 Sundance Festival.

Omid Djalili with Head of Roehampton’s Department of Media, Culture and Language, Dr Paul Sutton

We Are Many is a story of the largest demonstration in history that took place on the 15th of February 2003 when up to up to 30 million people in nearly 800 cities around the world took to the streets to protest against the impending Iraq War.

The documentary provides an inside story behind the first ever global protest, and its unexpected and unreported legacy. The film features testimony from participants in the protest, including organisers, activists, high-profile figures, and the public. It is filmed in seven countries – Italy, Spain, Egypt, Sweden, Australia, UK, and the USA. The screening is an opportunity to offer feedback on the film ahead of its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in February.

In addition to a preview of We Are Many, Roehampton will also welcome Debs Paterson, one of the few female directors currently working in the UK on February 11. Debs will screen her 2010 feature, Africa United, about a pair of young boys who travel from war-torn Rwanda to see the 2010 football World Cup in South Africa. Africa United was nominated for the Douglas Hickox Award at the British Independent Film Awards and for Best Feature at the Los Angeles Pan African Film Festival, as well as winning the WWW Award at the Stockholm Film Festival.

Omid and Debs are just the latest in a line-up of film industry professionals who will share their experiences with students at Roehampton. The Autumn team saw speakers including filmmaker, Sue Bourne; BBC director Jonathan Taylor, and producer of Woody Allen’s Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Gareth Wiley. All filmmakers shared tips with students about how to be a success in filmmaking.

The We Are Many screening and Q&A with Omid and Amir takes place on Wednesday 28 January from 4pm – 7pm in the Jebb Auditorium, Froebel College. The event is open to everyone and no bookings are required.

January 22, 2015