During a breathtaking trip to Sri Lanka, I had the privilege of meeting a fisherman who shared his heart with me. Despite his strong, muscular exterior, I could sense his worry about his child's future as he spoke of the difficulties of catching fish. With every passing day, the seas became more dangerous forcing him to take greater risks and venture further out into the open water. Gone were the days of fishing in the calm and tranquil bay.
My heart broke as he spoke of his little 6-year-old son, who had a dream to follow in his father's footsteps and become a true hero of the sea. With every word, the love and pride in his voice for his child was visible. I could see the determination in his eyes to continue to provide for his family, no matter the cost.
In that moment, I knew I was witnessing a true love story. A father's love for his son, a son's love for his father, and a love for the sea that was both fierce and tough. It was a moment that I would never forget and a reminder that love knows no boundaries.
I took my camera and spent a day following the man and his son.
Johan Cruyff Foundation has been creating spaces to play for 25 years. In honor of the 25th anniversary, the foundation is introducing ‘Creative Cruyff Courts’ in which courts are created in three world cities. Untold Stories made the video ‘Space to Play’ with freestyle football player Soufiane Touzani. The first transformed abandoned sports venue in this serie of three is the court in Rotterdam. Next up: Barcelona & London.
They would call me “one leg”.
They would call me “one leg”. || WAR CHILD
“At school, the other children used to bully me. They would call me “one leg”. Now, we play together and they respect me.” Adit (12).
Across South Sudan, war and displacement have left over one million children at risk of developing mental health problems. Through the TeamUp innovation, War Child and partners are using movement as a way for children to release tension and connect with each other.
I traveled to South Sudan with War Child. There we met Adit, a girl with a great energy. A girl I will not soon forget. For 3 days we played all kinds of different games, and she shared her story with us.
Tijd voor de volgende stap - Michael Jessurun films groeit door naar Untold Stories.
Door de jaren heen heb ik veel geleerd, heb ik met hele mooie merken en organisaties mogen samenwerken, de wereld mogen afreizen en heb ik de kans gekregen om te groeien. Nu is het tijd voor de volgende stap. Van eenmanszaak naar een creatieve studio waar talenten en kwaliteiten samen komen om de mooiste verhalen te vertellen.
Met een mooi team aan creatievelingen gaan we door met met vastleggen van verhalen en creëren van content. Voortaan vind je ons werk onder de naam Untold Stories.
Voordat Amsterdam ontwaakte deze morgen.
Never. Stop. Exploring. - Cambodja
