One day, hundreds of stories| Featuring TED Translator Nafissa Yakubova and TED Fellow Andriankoto Ratozamanana | Reportage
One year from today, on November 11, 2011 people all over the world will be brought together by film in the 11Eleven Project. Carly Goldstone reports.
Image: Danielle Lauren via facebook.com11Eleven project director, Danielle Lauren wants people to tell their stories through film.
How much do we really have in common and how could we possibly find out? Is there potential to generate one world voice?
It’s a big ask, but a band of determined people from around the planet are planning to give it a go. A year from now, on the eleventh day, of the eleventh month, of the 2011th year, those who have access to film, video, digital, phone, web camera or microphone will be encouraged to begin a universal narrative.
Danielle Lauren, a documentary filmmaker from Sydney, Australia, is the creator and director of the 11Eleven Project.
“[I'm] trying to bring the world together as one on this auspicious day.”
Individuals from 196 different countries, including Australia, Fiji, Thailand, Belarus, Spain and Nigeria, communicated to in over 2000 languages, will be invited to “capture a day in the life of their world.”
Participants will be able to upload their footage, audio or photographic material to the 11Eleven Project website which will be collated and turned into a variety of different projects, highlighting the 24 hours captured by the world.
Lauren also plans to make a two-hour feature length documentary, to explore human experiences, the similarities and polarity between people across the globe.
“This project will break boundaries between people and create a sense of one world. Let me see you as an equal and let me explore how you live your life, the good and the bad, and let me take some of that knowledge and translate it into my own life.”
Lauren devised the project to “illustrate the commonalities amongst all people and to witness the shared experience amongst every human being living on earth.”
The 11Eleven Project highlights the powerful role that an individual can play, day-to-day.
“The individual can make a difference in the world and the power of the collective can change the planet,” Lauren said.
Harinjaka Ratozamanana, a citizen journalist/blogger and 11ELEVEN project manager for Madagascar, is busy networking and helping produce films, pictures and stories for the project.
“With humility and modesty, I want to put Madagascar on the map through this historical and unique project.
“Sadly, the world of film in Madagascar is very poor, we have very few film production companies throughout the island,” he said.
Ratozamanana said he became involved in the project because he loves the idea of telling stories.
“Danielle Lauren gives us hope and the opportunity to be part of this international and meaningful project and help us show our smile in this time capsule.
“Often biodiversity and lemurs are in the spotlight, [I want to] focus on the Malagasy people and make them crucial actors and models in their unique and threatened environment,” said Ratozamanana.
“Malagasy people favour unity, solidarity and community life and their consequences such as hospitality, sharing and reconciliation. In fact, we believe that humanity is one.”
Nafissa Yakubova is originally from Kazakhstan and is now a medical student in the US.
She hopes to capture stories about minority village children on November 11 next year.
“I plan to use my camera and skills for those children who can’t afford to be involved in this worldwide project. I would love to capture their lives in a day.
“I’m very inspired by the idea of bringing people together, especially through art…[it] reminds us of the simplicity and beauty of being a human, and how we can come together.”
Yakubova said she was also extremely moved by the emphasis of telling stories in multiple languages.
However, Lauren said language barriers is currently one of the hurdles.
“Trying to find like-minded people to be ambassadors in their own countries and help promote and participate in the project, is the biggest challenge.”
Lauren is currently focused on ensuring areas with limited access to technology can still participate in the project.
“I want to make sure that people with limited access to technology get to participate and ensure that the global narrative is not an English narrative.”
As this is a non-profit project, Lauren says she will use the profits to provide money for charities that are helping to achieve the UN Millennium Development Goals.
Partners of the project include: Sydney International Film School; UC Santa Cruz, California; Florence Film School and University of the Philippines Film Institute.
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