The operatic video, “I’m taking off. It means I’m leaving now,” follows the odyssey of two women and a bed. The libretto for the songs was created from texts from English language classes in Europe for asylum seekers from various countries including Afghanistan, Syria, Eritrea, Somalia and Morocco among others. One scene in the video is shot at the former Eliniko airport in Athens, Greece whose terminal is currently used as a shelter for thousands of displaced people.
2016
Pew Foundation Pick 2016 by Amy Sadao, Daniel Dietrich II Director, ICA, Philadelphia
Credits:
By Jeannie Simms
Produced by:
Laine Rettmer
Performance & Voice:
Lito Messini, Athens
Peny Deligianni, Athens
Beatboxing:
GNO Beatboxer, Athens
Libretto:
Jeannie Simms
Cinematography:
Jeannie Simms
Additional Camera:
Laine Rettmer
Sound Design:
Austin Covell
Special Effects & Color:
Emily Sotomayor
Audio Mix:
Andrew Hylnsky
Special Thanks:
Trampoline House, Copenhagen
Tone Nielsen
Morton Goll
Polly Martin
English Language Class for Asylum Seekers, Copenhagen
Anastasia Kotsali
Patty Chang
Maxine Collins
Joe Joe Orangias
Stephen St. Francis Decky
Greg Mahoney
Jane Gillooly
Supported by:
The SMFA Daynard Fellowship
Special Thanks to:
Carol & Richard Daynard
The School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University
Jeannie Simms 