Waguih El Laqany
2023 IVLP Impact Award Project: Deaf Animation Workshop (Continued)Egypt
Waguih El Laqany is a cultural manager, film programmer, curator, producer and actor. He is also the founder, senior partner and executive director of Art ِEverywhere (L.L.C). Waguih founded and managed several film-related initiatives and projects such as "Cinema Everywhere" in 2013. This project promoted alternative cinema and built an audience for it in marginalized and disadvantaged areas by organizing film screens and alternative cinema programs. It also organized events and screenings for the deaf audience. Waguih's other past projects include "C Film Translation Center" which provides film translations to Arabic, sign language and other languages. Waguih also organized "Deaf Film Lab" which encouraged and trained deaf people to create films through workshops. Currently, in light of the COVID 19 pandemic, he is working on a digital film platform called "Shouf Film" that shares global alternative cinema films to people who are social distancing and staying at home. Waguih has been nominated for many awards and honors including being placed on the shortlist for the "Visible Award 2015," and being a chosen a speaker for "Cinema-Going in the Arab World" by NVIC - Netherlands-Flemish Institute in Cairo. Waguih has also provided several lectures to Cairo University.
2023 IVLP Impact Award Project: Deaf Animation Workshop (Continued)
Waguih was selected as an Impact Award recipient for the second time for his unique project, Deaf Animation Workshop, which reached new audiences and continued to teach deaf students about the basics of animation through the use of stop-motion. In 2023, 17 new students learned about animation and create their own stop-motion videos. Students worked on a 7-minute film using their gained knowledge. They made a script for an animation film, created stop-motion figures from clay and edited the footage. The film expresses their views and ideas on climate issues, environmental pollution, and its impact on living beings. A screening night for the film was held in Alexandria, attended by the participants, their families, and other audience members.
View the film “Our Planet’ produced by the participants, please visit:
"I was able to participate in making an animated film just like speaking individuals. Yes, I am deaf, but I am capable of learning if provided with good training. I hope to continue and learn more advanced animated filmmaking using 3D technology." – Project Participant
2022 IVLP Impact Award Project: Deaf Animation Workshop
The project consisted of workshops to educate and train young deaf participants about the basics of animation filmmaking through the stop-motion technique. 17 deaf adolescents from the age of 11 to 16 years were trained on the creation of stop-motion animation films in Alexandria, Egypt. The project enabled them to learn the basics of animation filmmaking for the first time in Egypt, discover their talents and creativity and encourage those who are passionate about animation filmmaking. In addition, animation scenes served as a tool to communicate with the world and as a medium to express their thoughts and dreams, views on society and perspective of the world. These goals were accomplished by using a methodical and developed teaching approach using the stop-motion technique. The workshop taught the basics of turning an idea into a scenario, design, direction, photography, animation and editing. The participants in the workshop made 4 stop-motion animation films which were screened for all the participants and other community members to enjoy. Waguih hopes that the workshop becomes an annual workshop for the deaf to learn animation filmmaking and the stop-motion technique. The workshop will also contribute to helping deaf youths to be empowered and gain some cultural rights.
To watch the stop-motion animation videos, please visit:
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Deaf Animation workshop 2 - Film 1
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Deaf Animation workshop 2 - Film 2
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Deaf Animation workshop 2 - Film 3
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Deaf Animation workshop 2 - Film 4
IVLP Exchange Experience
Waguih was a participant in the IVLP Project Promoting Social Change through the Arts in 2021, organized by the U.S. Department of State and FHI 360. He was a participant in the IVLP Project Promoting Social Change through the Arts in 2022, organized by the U.S. Department of State and the Mississippi Consortium for International Development.
Waguih's exchange experience led him to develop his IVLP Impact Award Project: "The IVLP experience has contributed to the development of my ideas through my visits to arts and cultural institutions in the United States that are working to change and help societies through the arts. Those visits and meetings, had a great impact on me... as they made me insist on using art for social change."
U.S. Communities Visited in 2022
Colorado Springs, CO; Washington, DC; New York City, NY
U.S. Communities Visited Virtually in 2021
Phoenix, AZ; Colorado Springs, CO; Washington DC; New Orleans, LA; Cleveland, OH: San Antonio, TX