Stories about Film from February, 2012
Pakistan: Congratulating Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy
Hina Safdar At Chowrangi celebrates the Oscar award winner, the internationally renowned Pakistani documentary filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy. She won the award for her documentary ‘Saving Face, which is based on the story of acid attack survivors.
Video Highlights: Defending Human Rights
A selection of Global Voices' recent and interesting stories on video advocacy including indigenous rights and recent news from Latin America, East Asia, Western Europe and Sub Saharan Africa selected by Juliana Rincón Parra.
Brazil: The Deficient Prison Systems of the Americas
Under the Brazilian Sun is a documentary on the current state of the Brazilian penitentiary system. In the aftermath of the tragic prison fire in Honduras that killed 350 inmates, prison escapes in Peru and riots in Mexican jails, coming up with solutions to this situation becomes more relevant than ever.
Greece: Athens, 1st African Film Festival
The first African Film Festival will take place in Athens, Greece, from February 23 to 29, 2012, with the collaboration of various African countries’ embassies and consulates. Twenty one films from Angola, South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia, Nigeria, Egypt and Ethiopia will be screened. The event is hosted by the Greek Film...
Greece: ‘Catastroika’ Documentary on Public Sector Privatization
A new documentary about the catastrophic consequences of the privatization of the public sector in Greece, entitled Catastroika [el], is in progress. The title comes from the combination of the words ‘catastrophe’ and ‘Troika’ (the tripartite committee led by the European Commission with the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund, that organised...
One Day on Earth: Global Screening of Worldwide Collaborative Film
The collaborative film One Day on Earth was filmed all on the same day, October 10, 2010, with more than 3,000 hours of footage sent in from all corners of the world. The Global Screening will take place on Earth Day (April 22, 2012) in every country of the world, with the assistance of World Heritage Sites and the United Nations.
Guatemala: Speaking Out on the Genocide of Indigenous Women
The 36 year civil war (1960-1996) that ravaged Guatemala left more than 200,000 people dead and at least 100,000 women raped: most of the victims were Mayan. Finally, the sexual violence perpetrated against Mayan women is being investigated as part of the genocide proceedings taking place in Spanish tribunals.
Egypt: Among Bulaq's Ruins in an Unfinished Revolution
Bulaq Abu el-Ela is one of Cairo’s main informal neighbourhoods, threatened with demolition and its inhabitants resettled into apartment blocks in the middle of the desert. Italian film-makers Davide Morandini and Fabio Lucchini, made a documentary entitled "Bulaq: Among the ruins of an unfinished revolution" about Bulaq, its inhabitants, their issues and suffering from forced evictions.
Africa: Colonial PR Films Provide a Window to Africa's More Recent Past
African Urbanism discusses the UK's Colonial Film Catalogue, a database of more than 6000 films, which provides a window into British colonial period: “…these videos find their value in providing a fantastic trip through time into life in these places — showing people as they were (or, rather, how the...
Costa Rica: Videos from the Past
A video by geographer Homer Dávila is making nostalgia grow on Facebook as people are reminded of the light traffic that used to be the norm between the capital city of San José, Costa Rica and neighboring city of Alajuela.
Video Highlights: Video Advocacy and Recent Events
A selection of Global Voices' recent and interesting stories on video advocacy including indigenous rights and recent news from Latin America, East Asia and Sub Saharan Africa selected by Juliana Rincón Parra.
UK: Video Series to Showcase Local Poets
Highest Point is the first video in a series of nine which will showcase the work of poets in the United Kingdom.
Video: Showcasing the Beautiful Landscapes of Chile and Patagonia
A moving short film by Gnarly Bay Productions follows a couple travelling through Chile and Patagonia, showing the beautiful landscapes found in this corner of South America.
Bermuda: 88 year old Citizen Publicly Acknowledged for Spreading Happiness
Johnny Barnes is an 88 year old citizen of Bermuda who every morning spends 6 hours waving and greeting people, just to let them know that they are loved. The documentary by Matt Morris Films, Mr. Happy Man, shows what an important part of the island he's become. (via Neatorama)
Colombia: Romantic Movie for Men Premieres on Facebook
Lessons for a Kiss, a Colombian film categorized by writer and director Juan Pablo Bustamante as a romantic comedy for men, will premiere on Facebook on Valentine's day (Feb. 14) and will stay online for 3 months. It will be available for rental for $.99 cents.
Malaysia: Organization Advocates for Human Rights Through Video
KOMAS is a Malaysian organisation that uses video production as a tool to educate and advocate for human rights in the areas of non-discrimination, citizenship, voter education and documentary filmmaking.
Video: 6th Annual DoGooder Nonprofit Video Awards
Submissions are being accepted up to February 29th for the 6th Annual DoGooder Nonprofit Video Awards in four different categories: small, medium and large organizations and best storytelling.