Place Without People
AI Film Festival turns 15 this fall and features five films on Africa
The Amnesty International Film Festival in Vancouver celebrates its 15th anniversary this year, with an exciting line-up of award-winning documentary films that includes five films focused on Africa. The films celebrate peace and justice activism, explore the role of international laws, and reveal the human rights violations that remain to be challenged. The festival runs November 18 to 21 and takes place at Vancity Theatre, 1181 Seymour Street.
“This festival not only offers audiences an opportunity to learn about human rights successes and failures,” says festival director Don Wright, “but with guest speakers and panel discussions, people can take well-informed and immediate to promote and protect human rights around the world.”
The Africa films draw attention to displacement, women’s empowerment, slavery, war crimes trails, and political intrigue. A Place Without People explores the plight of Indigenous people displaced from their traditional lands to make way for a nature preserve in Tanzania, while Stolen reveals allegations of slavery in the Western Sahara. Pray the Devil Back to Hell celebrates the women of Liberia who championed peace in the midst of conflict, and Kamenge-Northern Quarters examines the life of Alexis Sinduhije, who ran for president of Burundi earlier this year. The final film, War Don Don, asks viewers to reflect on the role of international courts.
In addition to films on Africa, the festival will also take audiences in the USA, Latin America, Burma, and the Middle East, and cover such topics as refugee rights, food security, corporate accountability, and the continuing human rights impact of the war on terror.
“We’re pleased to present so many compelling films this year,” adds Wright. “Starting with our opening gala film, Sounds Like A Revolution, through to our closing film, last year’s Gold Audience Award winner The Yes Men Fix the World.”
“We also deeply appreciate that filmmakers frequently take great personal and financial risks to bring these important stories to life, and we’re honoured to offer many of them for the first time to a Canadian audience.”
For more information please go to www.amnestyfilmfest.ca or contact Don Wright at dwright@amnesty.ca.
Amnesty International Film Festival November 18 -21 at Vancity Theatre
