Girl With A Guitar is a documentary mini-series by Hans Fjellestad (Sunset
Strip, Moog) that aims to bring guitars and music to kids who live in parts
of the world where access to instruments and training is unavailable or
extremely limited. We want to bring these young ones a musical gift and give
our viewers real glimpses of life in Pakistan and Afghanistan. With music as
our window, we can learn about the essential nature in all of us – along with challenges
facing specific local communities – and emphasize the universal importance of
education for girls and equal rights for women.
This Spring, master
guitarist Lanny Cordola is set to deliver new guitars to several young girls in
Kabul, Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore. We'll film their first music lessons,
meet their families, and play with some amazing local musicians.
One of these aspiring
young musicians wrote to Lanny recently and her words really describe our aims
best: "I believe that education is the only way to brighten people's
minds, empower women, stop war and conflict, and to break all barriers to
women's progress. Never underestimate the power of arts and music, because I
believe it is the platform of understanding and that the light of the real
world is MUSIC!"
When she first met
Lanny and learned he was a guitar player, she insisted he teach her on the
spot. After strumming her very first E-chord, she was hooked. She decided to
learn music in order to give a hopeful voice to Afghan girls. It will be a
great moment when we surprise her with her first guitar!
Lanny (seen above playing for kids in Pakistan with Atif Aslam) has been active
in the region since 2010, organizing numerous humanitarian initiatives, musical
collaborations, and programs to aid the children throughout Pakistan and Afghanistan.
One of these projects, Afghan Lullaby,
raised over $8500 for the family of two young sisters lost to a tragic
suicide bombing in Kabul a couple years ago. These brave girls saved the lives
of several Americans stationed in Kabul, sacrificing themselves in the process.
We will deliver this money to the surviving family in person during our
journey.
I'm super excited and honored to be involved in this project. We just need additional travel expenses and a road-worthy camera so we can get over there and start!
Please spread the word and help make this special project happen...
Thanks!
Here's a little more about us:
Musician and humanitarian Lanny Cordola has worked with Beach Boys, Guns N’ Roses, Gene Simmons, Ozzy Osbourne, renowned Pakistani musician Atif Aslam, and was the lead guitarist for House of Lords. He was also a regular on the classic TV sitcom Full House. Lanny has since traveled the world exploring his vision of peace through music.
Hans Fjellestad has directed feature documentaries for over 10 years. His films include Sunset Strip, Moog, The Heart Is A Drum Machine, Sounding The Space, When The World Breaks, and Frontier Life, having all been screened in theaters, museums, festivals, and on major television networks including Showtime, ABC, MTV, PBS, Music on! TV (Japan), Arte, and BBC. Hans has worked throughout the US, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, New Zealand, Australia, UK, Scandinavia, Europe, Turkey, Taiwan, and Japan.