A portrait of Bahaa Al Jomaa and Yazan Ibrahim, two Arab artists who, through music, merge together different worlds while embracing and exploring different realities - between Lebanon and Spain, Palestine and the Golan Heights.
Although living away from their respective home lands, they strive to fulfil their essence and passion for life through the music they make and share, be it as a form of resistance and survival or as a tool to explore the world and to manifest and share their incredible talent. Quoting Yazan, “These stories seem to be similar because most of these people have made the same physical journey. But the essence of each is very different. What is their real story? Beyond what they had to go through to get to where they are now.”
the ‘Cedars of God’, in the mountains of northern Lebanon -
a short story about this historic forest, told by Youssef Tawk, a caretaker of cedar trees, from the near-by town of Bcharreh.
Directed and edited by Nessim Stevenson
Filmed by Ghinwa Daher and Nessim Stevenson
Timelapses by Chris Kousouros
Aerial footage by Karim Iliya
The Sayalonga cemetery is a one of a kind circular cemetery in Andalucía. It is believed it was constructed as such so that the dead can be looking at each other.
In Andalucía, on the 30th and 31st of October of every year, families gather in cemeteries to clean the graves of their departed and put flowers and candles for them. A tradition passed on from generation to another in preparation for the 1st of November when the memories and lives of the dead are celebrated.
Shot on iPhone 8
filming and editing: Ghinwa Daher
For UNDP Sahel with What Took You So Long productions
“Salooni is a multidisciplinary art project that posits black hair practices as systems of knowledge through which culture and survivalist strategies are passed from generation to generation.
This video was supported by the British Council and the Nzinga Effect.”
Producer and director : Renee Mboya
DOP : Ghinwa Daher
Editor : Philippa Young
A What Took You So Long production
DOP: Ghinwa Daher
Producer: Johan Selin
Editor: Johan Jb Eriksson
Sound Design: Robin Carlheim-Müller
Production company: What Took You So Long?
Client: Hand in Hand Sweden
Role on this project: Videographer
Due to the fightings in Nigeria's Borno State in 2015, tens of thousands of displaced people have settled in makeshift camps in Monguno without access to adequate basic needs for survival. The main city health structures had been abandoned as the majority of healthcare workers had fled.
This is the story of doctor May Murithi, who co-founded one of the first free maternal health clinic in the city, assisting mothers and babies coming from nearby IDP camps, as well as those coming by foot through the desert to be cared for at their clinic.
Directed, filmed and edited by: Ghinwa Daher
For ALIMA NGO with What Took You So Long productions
"El Sistema is a publicly financed voluntary sector music education program in Venezuela, founded in 1975 by Venezuelan educator, musician and activist José Antonio Abreu which later adopted the motto Social Action for Music. El Sistema consisted of over 400 music centers and 700,000 young musicians.
The Sistema Europe Youth Orchestra (SEYO) consists of 190 young musicians between the ages of ten and twenty, as well as thirty music teachers from 27 countries that have adopted Sistema and Sistema-inspired programmes for "social action through music".
In 2017, the SEYO went to Athens for its annual summer camp, celebrating the ability of music to unite nations, religions and culture."
Directing : Ángel Ballesteros
Filming : Ghinwa Daher and Ángel Ballesteros
Concert filming : Ghinwa Daher, Ángel Ballesteros, Nessim Stevenson
Steady cam : Ivan Ziovas
Editing : Ghinwa Daher and Ángel Ballesteros
Sound design : Nikolas Konstaninou, Manos Georgakopoulos and Panagiotis Paraskevaidis
Video about “tavia” period pads.
Director: Renee Mboya
DOP: Ghinwa Daher
Drone and steady cam operator: Johan Selin
Editor: Johan Selin
Production: What Took You So Long
Role on this project: producer, director, DP and editor
Production company: What Took You So Long
Direction, filming and editing: Ghinwa Daher
Production: WTYSL
Three of 8-10 musicians from the US, Turkey, Kurdistan, Syria, and Europe came together in Istanbul to form the band Country For Syria.
Filmed by Christopher Kousouros and Ghinwa Daher
Edited by Ghinwa Daher
A What Took You So Long production
Piraeus Port Athens,Greece - Sara and Renata are part of a group of independent volunteers who lived in a section of the port and supported over 1300 refugees. After the government and police had decreased the food and water deliveries to the camp, the volunteers figured out a way to cook and deliver the food themselves.
Filmed by Christopher Kousouros and Nessim Stevenson
Edited by Ghinwa Daher
A What Took You So Long production
A Virtual Reality/360 video
"At 18 years old, Nasra Haji Hussain Ibrahim is Somalia's first woman mechanic. In a country known for its youth unemployment, Nasra has turned her passion into a way to support her family - breaking stereotypes along her way."
Directing, filming, stitching and editing : Ghinwa Daher Second Camera : Yusuf Toyo
Camera assistants : Christopher Kousouros and Sebastian Lindstrom
Production coordinator : Peace Business Group Mogadishu Somalia
A What Took You So Long Production
A Virtual Reality/360 video
In July 2017, I went to Oaxaca, Mexico, the land where the juice of the Agave plant is transformed into what the Maestro Mezcaleros refer to as a spiritual medicine: Mezcal.
This video was made with local farmers who are still to this day using centuries-old traditional methods to produce Mezcal.
Directed, filmed and edited by: Ghinwa Daher
For Mezcal Union
A What Took You So Long production