15 Cigarettes video launch showcases works of collaboration by seniors and artists from Arabic-speaking backgrounds. United by a love for art, they come together to create heartfelt films, exploring family archives and discussing experiences of migration.

Beginning in 2022, 15 Cigarettes is a project that responded to the increase of social isolation and loneliness experienced by seniors during the onset of the pandemic. Originally founded on studies that show social isolation can be as harmful as smoking, it has since evolved into a chance for intergenerational connection.

Creative team: Gillian Kayrooz, Aunty Badiha Ajami, Claudia Chidiac, Aunty Faride Makdessi, Yamane Fayed, Aunty Shams Issa, Aunty Rehab Graf and Eddie Abd.

Creative producer: Eddie Abd

Partners: Olivetree Women's Network and Community Minds

Supported by City of Canterbury Bankstown Events Sponsorship Grants

A photo showing an elderly woman's hand holding open an old pocket-sized book against a lace tablecloth. Arabic and French writing indicates it’s an identification document, with a younger woman’s photo on one page.

Contact the host of 15 Cigarettes video launch