Filmmaker publishes a book on life exposing the worst and best of humankind

LONDON-based filmmaker Matthew Robinson has released his first book, ‘104 In The Shade’, where he lifts the lid on the reality of filming some of the worst humanitarian crises of this century. 

In 2016, Matthew switched careers from working in television to working with a London-based international Muslim aid charity. Looking to make a tangible difference to peoples’ lives – Matthew headed off to Greece to report on those arriving as refugees having fled conflicts in Syria and Iraq. This was the start of many missions, including refugee camps in Lebanon and Turkey; open heart surgery on babies in Tanzania; water wells in Ethiopia and Bangladesh; food and water distributions in the desert in Somalia and Yemen; marathons in Morocco and Palestine; and a rickshaw challenge in Pakistan.

Speaking about why he wrote ‘104 In The Shade’, Matthew said:

“I wrote the book because I wanted to share the experiences I have had with the broader world. To show how so many people are forced to live due to circumstances beyond their control, such as war, drought, famine and other natural disasters. How their human rights vary depending on their place of birth.”

“As someone who embraced Islam as an adult, I wanted to show how Islam has grounded me and helped me to refocus on how I want to live my life and what legacy I want to leave behind. Especially as helping others forms such a huge part of the faith. Islam has helped me make sense of a very confusing world, which never ceases to surprise or amaze me at every turn.” 

On every trip Matthew took, he took a journal with him. He never put pen to paper, though, as he was too busy when out in the field. But when the lockdown happened, he felt it was the right time to write about his experiences.  

Matthew continued:

“I changed my career at the age of 43 and found my calling in life, which shows that it’s never too late to make a change or go for a goal in life that you previously felt was out of reach or just a daydream.”

104 In The Shade is available on Amazon for RRP £13.99 and at all good bookshops.