Toronto, ON
Abdu aljahma
Abdu Aljahma is a filmmaker and cultural worker based in Toronto. His practice is grounded in documenting and bringing people together through art and cinema. He is interested in film as a way of holding memory, creating space for reflection, and making sense of the world. Abdu is part of The Remix Project 21.0, where he continues to develop his approach to filmmaking and community organizing.
Cinema Ras
Cinema Ras is a film programming initiative that spotlights local emerging filmmakers and creates space for community gathering through cinema. Each event brings audiences together not only to watch films, but to reflect, share, and engage. These reflections are collected and shaped into a printed zine, capturing audience thoughts and experiences and building a living archive of how cinema is seen, felt, and understood in this city.
About this Project
Communities Served
My project will involve and/or impact the following communities:
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
When it comes to community impact projects, the UN has created 17 Sustainable Development Goals. These are the Sustainable Development Goals associated with my project.
How the project works
During this project, Cinema Ras hosts four free summer screenings from May to August featuring a Black-directed film paired with a short film by a Black local filmmaker in attendance. Each event includes open dialogue and audience reflections. These are collected into a zine documenting the experience, while providing accessible cinema to communities.
Project Impact
Each Cinema Ras screening brings together over 60 attendees, along with participating filmmakers, creating space for meaningful connection and dialogue. The project supports local emerging artists, encourages audience engagement with cinema, and builds community through shared experience. The resulting zine extends this impact by documenting and preserving these moments.
Project Mission
Cinema Ras exists to bring people together through art and cinema while creating space for local filmmakers to share their work. It aims to make film more accessible, encourage reflection and dialogue, and build community through shared experiences, while documenting these moments as part of a growing cultural archive.
Project Team
Led by Abdu Aljahma with support from local artists and collaborators
- Abdu Aljahma - project director
Optional Photo Gallery
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