The Closing: The Big Bang!

All good things come to an end, and as with all good things, the Festival, too, is cluing up for this year’s edition. In the last three days, we worked tirelessly to bring you some of the most thought-provoking, important and inspiring documentaries that have come out in the last year. Last night, in fact, we screened “Heavy Metal in Baghdad”, a documentary that made its way to Newfoundland two days after the theatrical release in New York City and LA. There were some big heavy metal fans amongst us, and only the grins on their faces showed how happy they were to see fellow Metallica fans on the other side of the world.

For our last day, we thought we would leave with a big bang. So, get ready to read up, because we’ve got some incredible documentaries lined up for Sunday afternoon and the closing screening on Sunday evening.

Sunday afternoon [2 to 5 pm] we will be screening “Dead in the Water” and “Triage: Dr. Orbinski’s Humanitarian Dilemma”, both Canadian documentaries, centering on topics Canadians find very close to their hearts and minds. “Dead in the Water” explores the idea of the privatisation of water. Through glimpses of life in countries where water was indeed privatised, the documentary asks a question that brings this issue home: What would happen if/when water privatisation occurred/occurs in Canada?

“Triage: Dr. Orbinski’s Humanitarian Dilemma” is a must for any of you who are involved in the social justice movement, know someone or are yourselves involved in the field of medicine, or are simply interested in knowing what happens when someone is caught in a moral dilemma. Through frank commentary and firsthand footage rarely seen before of some of the world most devastating conflicts, “Triage” gives us the that few documentaries possess, that of bringing us into the world of an altruist humanitarian, a Nobelist and a doctor: Dr. James Orbinski is human like any other, but his past travels and current life have left many in awe. In “Triage”, we see why.

Sunday afternoon screenings begin at 2 pm and end at 5 pm, as always, in room EN 2006 at MUN. Tickets are $7 for wage-earners or pay-what-you-can for others. You may buy them at The Travel Bug [155 Water St.] or at the door. Parking is free in parking lots 16 and 16A. Complementary refreshments and snacks will be served before and during the screenings.

…but wait! We’re not done yet! Sunday night is our big closing gala! We are screening two incredible documentaries and one of them has a Newfoundland story in it!

“Burma’s Secret War” is about a country so isolated from the world, cameras are not allowed. Evan Williams’ daring feature documentary shows what it’s like to live in Myanmar today, under the watchful eye of the military rule. While democratically elected Aung San Suu Kyi is deprived of freedom, her people continue to plead for change in any way they can. Williams masterfully shows the resistance of a people that have for far too long been oppressed by the government that was meant to protect them.

“Forgiveness: Stories for Our Time” is our closing documentary, and rightfully so. We wanted to close this year’s Festival with a feature that continues to build hope that we hope you were able to take from our screenings. In this National Film Board production, we get to know five people who have lost their dear ones in most brutal ways. One of them is Anne-Marie Hagan, a Newfoundlander whose father was killed at home, in a small outport community in the province. Hagan tells her story, but more than that, tells us what it means to forgive.

We hope to see you tonight! We will have fruit, dips, snacks, drinks, refreshments and prize draws throughout the night! Tickets are still $7 for wage-earners and pay-what-you-can for others! Parking is free in parking lots 16 and 16A!

For more information, visit http://munai.wordpress.com
Remzi

P.S: Thank you to Posie Row, The Travel Bug, Anna Templeton Centre, International Flavours, The Sprout, and many, many others who generously supported this year’s Festival!