Mobile Cinema For Refugees Needs Funding

16 December 2016, 06:00 | Updated: 16 December 2016, 17:36

A Yorkshire artist has set up a fundraising page to support a mobile cinema project, to play movies for refugees in Europe.

The Moving Picture project was created by actress Shireen Farkhoy from Leeds and artist William Johnson from Huddersfield.

The mobile cinema is currently in Athens for a couple of weeks before travelling to Lesvos, Chios and Samos. 

It’s hoped that the cinema experience will provide some much-needed happiness and escapism in light of their troubled circumstances.  

The movies are screened in Arabic, Farsi, Urdu (and some without language) and include universal film favourites and classic cartoons suitable for children and adults. 

William and Shireen have had to buy and build everything necessary to take the cinema out to Europe themselves, which includes a a van (with insurance, tax, lining, repairs); a projector; a PA system with desk; a generator and a screen - which has cost them around £7000. 

More than 400 refugees have so far watched films in camps across Europe - and William, who is running it, wants to take it to more locations.

The Moving Picture projects fundraising page can be found here.