Three artists sat close together behind a small table covered by a table cloth. They are taking part in a panel discussion. The artist on the right is speaking to the crowd and gesturing with his hand. The other two artists face the crowd smiling and listening. There are glasses of water, a headset and an open notebook on the table.
A cinema screen showing a scene from a film. On the screen there is an image of a body of flowing water and text which says 'A message to my father'.
Three artists sat close together on a stage. They are taking part in a panel discussion. The artist in the centre is speaking to the crowd. The other two artists face her, smiling and listening. There are glasses of water, a headset and an open notebook on the table.
Three artists sat close together in front of an audience taking part in a panel discussion. They are all smiling and glancing to their right.

Beyond the Lines

Lucas Chih-Peng Kao Aref Ghorbani Paria Moazemi Goodarzi Adam Kashmiry Ako Zada Alaa Saloum Ernesto Fernandez Meray Diner Midya Jan Razan Madhoon Sara Shaarawi Sawsan Al Areeqe

image: Film premiere at CCA Glasgow | Najma Abukar

 

Beyond the Lines is a poetic short film inspired by a collection of texts, sounds and stories by writers from refugee backgrounds now settled in Scotland.

These writings cross through a rich emotional landscape, each of them a unique jigsaw piece. Some go back to time and to places that cannot be returned to. Some reflect on the feeling of displacement and some contemplate on the cycle of life and death. Together they form a complicated yet moving and authentic portrait.

Edinburgh based Artist and Film Maker Lucas Chih-Peng Kao draws from his own 19 years of experience after migrating to Scotland from Taiwan, still struggling to fit in from time to time. Shot in Glasgow and Edinburgh on an iPhone, Beyond the Lines uses movement and green screen to interweave stories, and looks at the invisible baggage we carry and the impossibility of blending in.

Beyond the Lines premiered in 2022 at the Centre for Contemporary Art in Glasgow as part of Refugee Festival Scotland. The screening was followed by short readings and a panel discussion with Film Maker Lucas Chih-Peng Kao and Poet Sawsan Al Areeqe, chaired by Sara Shaarawi.

Concept, Direction, Camera & Edit by Lucas Chih-peng Kao
Devised and Performed with Ernesto Fernandez
Production Support by Meray Diner and Razan Madhoon

Featuring writing excerpts by Aref Ghorbani, Alaa Saloum, Adam Kashmiry, Ako Zada, Paria Moazemi Goodarzi, Midya Sulamain and Sawsan Al Areeqe.