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Screening in French with English subtitles. The conversation will be held in English and French, with translations into English.
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Join us for a special screening of Heart of Stone (2018), followed by a conversation with filmmakers Claire Billet and Olivier Jobard.
The filmmakers, both deeply engaged in documenting conflict, migration, and post-war life, bring their expertise and long-term storytelling approach to this conversation. We invite you to stay for the discussion and Q&A to explore the themes of the film, the realities of migration, and the role of documentary storytelling in shaping our understanding of these experiences.
The discussion will be moderated by Marie Doezema, Senior Special Projects Manager at the Columbia Global Paris Center. It will be held in English and French, with translations into English by Laura Brimo.
Screening
Heart of Stone (2019)
dir. Claire Billet & Olivier Jobard
89 min.
This powerful documentary follows Ghorban, who arrived in France alone at 12 years old, undocumented, after an arduous journey from Afghanistan. Labeled an unaccompanied minor, he was placed in Child Welfare Services, where he began navigating both his past—marked by war, abandonment, and poverty—and his future, caught between two countries. Over eight years, Claire Billet and Olivier Jobard documented his coming of age, offering an intimate portrait of migration, identity, and resilience.
Speakers
Marked by six years of living in war-torn countries as a journalist, Claire Billet shifted toward writing and directing documentary films in 2010. Her work focuses on life after war, exploring memory to shed light on the mechanisms of conflict. Claire Billet has received several grants (including from the Lagardère Foundation and Scam’s Brouillon d’un Rêve program) and awards (Scam’s Étoile Prize, One World Human Rights Film Festival, Cœur du Mois du Doc, among others). Her work has been screened at festivals in Paris, Leipzig, Brussels, Tehran, Castellorizo, Barcelona, Bayeux, Perpignan, and beyond. She has also completed two documentary scriptwriting programs at Scam and La Fémis. Website
Olivier Jobard is a photojournalist represented by Agence Myop. After studying at the École Louis Lumière, he spent 20 years at Sipa Press, covering conflicts around the world. In 2000, his work led him to Sangatte, where he met Afghan, Chechen, Iraqi, and Bosnian exiles. This experience sparked a deep interest in migration and displacement, which has since become a central focus of his work. Through long-term projects, he documents the individual experiences of migrants, highlighting their journeys, challenges, and resilience. His approach prioritizes time and trust, allowing for in-depth storytelling that moves beyond statistics to portray migration through a human-centered lens. Website
Journalism and Crisis
This second annual “Journalism and Crisis” followed an inaugural series held in New York City. The series facilitates discussions about some of the most critical questions facing journalists and journalism today, particularly in an international context. Learn more about the 2024 Journalism and Crisis.
Reid Hall, the Columbia Global Paris Center, and the Institute for Ideas and Imagination are not responsible for the views and opinions expressed by their speakers and guests.
