A still image from the movie Pray the Devil
Amnesty International, in conjunction with the Simon Fraser University School of International Studies, will present the 16th annual Amnesty International Film Festival – packing in 26 inspirational documentary films – from Nov. 17–20 at SFU Harbour Centre Theatre.
As Amnesty International celebrates 50 years of serving the world, the films this year project both the perseverance of individuals, and the resilience of the human psyche in the quest for basic human rights.
In a mission to shine a light on social injustice, the documentarians, themselves, act as witnesses – venturing into the lives of the oppressed or overlooked as they go into dangerous lands like Liberia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, to articulate a historical record that we can choose to learn from.
“Although I’m familiar with some of the issues through my work with Amnesty International,” says Don Wright, director of this year’s festival, “it is always inspiring to see and hear the stories from the people most affected by the issues.” He adds that the event is a great way to “celebrate the work of [the] many brave and courageous people [who are] profiled in [the] films.”
One of the films that Wright is eluding to, is the Liberian documentary, Pray the Devil Back to Hell. The film, which is directed by Gini Reticker, documents the brave women of Liberia as they stand together and demand to put an end to 14 years of civil war.
Ultimately, they turn their country around by successfully electing their first female president. This inspirational film is a testament to a grassroots movements and its power to redirect the fate of a country formerly in despair.
Moving to the illegal mines, which are run by militia in eastern Congo, the film, Blood in the Mobile, will haunt you with its captured footage of malnourished teenagers working in mines for days at a time for cassiterite, a mineral essential in the manufacture of mobile phones.
This film, which is made by Frank Piasecki Poulsen, exposes the links between the mobile phone industry and the civil wars of the Congo, thatare accountable for the death of millions.
Controversy also surrounds the film 10 Conditions of Love as it takes us into the complex life of Rebiya Kadeer, who was born into a Muslim Uyghur minority in Xinjiang, which is an autonomous region located in China.
Kadeer, who is now in exile in the United States, has been a prominent force in spreading awareness of the Uyghur struggle for basic human rights. Accordingly, she has been accused of inciting terrorism by the Chinese government.
Filmmaker Jeff Daniels, follows Kadeer, once the richest woman in China, over the course of two years as she is forced to choose between spreading awareness of the 20 million oppressed Uyghur people, and her own family’s safety.
Sergei Magnitsky, an ordinary Russian lawyer, died in a Moscow detention centre in November 2009, after he uncovered a huge tax fraud committed by government officials, spurring local and international outcry. Justice for Sergei, by filmmakers Hans Hermans and Martin Maat, interviews friends, family and colleagues of Magnitsky to gather insight into the man who held firm to his convictions and paid the ultimate price.
Complimenting the array of poignant films will be guest speakers and a few directors who will communicate with the audience via Skype. “[Skype] helps connect audiences with individuals and organizations working for change,” adds Wright.
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