About us!

Leanne — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 19:43:27 +0000

What is Amnesty International?

Amnesty International (AI) is a worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally recognized human rights.

AI’s vision is of a world in which every person enjoys all of
the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standards.

In pursuit of this vision, AI’s mission is to undertake research and action focused on preventing and ending grave abuses of the rights to physical and mental integrity, freedom of conscience and expression, and freedom from discrimination, within the context of its work to promote all human rights.

AI is independent of any government, political ideology, economic interest or religion. It does not support or oppose any government or political system, nor does it support or oppose the views of the victims whose rights it seeks to protect. It is concerned solely with the impartial protection of human rights.

Find more information about Amnesty International on the AI Canada website: Amnesty.ca

The Closing: The Big Bang!

remzimcej — Sun, 25 May 2008 05:01:49 +0000

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!

Day 3: Irshad Manji’s “Faith Without Fear”

remzimcej — Fri, 23 May 2008 16:29:12 +0000

We are having a wonderful week screening some incredibly moving, thought-provoking and inspiring documentaries!

Day three of the Festival is about a name that many of you may have heard in passing, on the web, on TV, or the papers. Canadian Irshad Manji has become the poster name for radical Islamic reform. Through her unapologetic comments, Manji has made many friends, but also enemies, many of whom disagree with the way she calls for change.

Tonight, we will be screening “Faith Without Fear”, Irshad Manji’s feature documentary about her thoughts on Islam, about those who oppose her, and others who support her. In the documentary, we find out more about the woman the New York Times called “Osama Bin Laden’s worst nightmare”. We find out also about the nature of the politics of Islam in Manji’s most innocent conversations through layers and layers of perspective.

The screening begins at 7 pm sharp, so we encourage you to come find a seat before then (doors open at 6:30). The documentary will be screened in room EN 2006 at MUN, as are all of the other documentaries throughout the Festival. Discussion to follow.

Tickets are $7 each or pay-what-you-can for others. You may still buy a Festival Pass for $25. Tickets are available at The Travel Bug (155 Water St.) or at the door.

Parking is free in parking lots 16 and 16A.

Day 2 of The Festival – Are you ready for it?

Leanne — Thu, 22 May 2008 03:06:21 +0000

We had a wonderful opening last night, and we thank everyone for showing up! Isabella St. John’s tower clay figures by the public were quite popular, so some of you left with beautiful handmade towers, vases and other creative objects! As you know, all of the proceeds go to Amnesty International, so we thank you for supporting the organization by buying this beautiful art!

On to day two of the Festival. We are screening two incredibly inspiring documentaries tonight. “Shame” is a documentary about Mukhtaran Mai, a woman from pakistan who dared to defy a whole system of honour to reclaim her inherent rights to dignity, respect and justice. “Radio Okapi”, our second documentary screening tonight, is a video about a radio station in the Democratic Republic of Congo that is causing waves with its programming. Radio Okapi proves that after the Radio Rwanda scandal, there can be hope for the power of radio to be used for good (More about the documentaries in the synopses below).

The screenings begin at 7 pm sharp (we promise!), in room EN 2006 of the Engineering Building at MUN. Tickets are $7 for wage-earners or pay-what-you-can for others. You may also buy two tickets for $10 and a Festival Pass for $25. All of these are available at The Travel Bug (155 Water St.) or at the door.

Parking is FREE, in parking lots 16 and 16A .

More information about Festival screenings here.

P.S.S: Thanks to all of the wonderful community sponsors – The Travel Bug, Posie Row, Anna Templeton Centre, and many others! The full list to come!

Movies that matter: Film Festival inspires and transforms, gives insight into world issues

Leanne — Tue, 06 May 2008 15:50:20 +0000

May 2, 2008
For Immediate Release

Amnesty International is proud to present its 4th Annual Film Festival, being held from May 21^st to May 25th in St. John’s. This year’s festival features documentaries on some of the most important issues facing the global community. The festival will be held at Memorial University’s Engineering Building, Room EN-2006 (On the website, http://munai.wordpress.com, click on “Schedule” for more).

The film festival is dedicated to showcasing some of the world’s best documentary films related to human rights. Through the art of film and its ability to bring the viewer in touch with sometimes harsh realities, the festival strives to expose new audiences to human rights abuses occurring around the world and to provide the St. John’s public with an opportunity to become involved in the global community by taking action against such abuses.

“Over the last couple of years, we have become increasingly aware of the responsibility each and everyone has in ensuring human rights abuses are not ignored, forgotten or not acted upon” said Remzi Cej, Film Festival Coordinator.

The 2008 festival program features ten films from around the globe that deal with human rights issues in countries such as India, Sudan, and Venezuela. This year’s festival will also screen two documentaries on the growing scarcity and commodification of water.

The Film Festival seeks to show the complexities of world conflicts, rather than classifying the problems as issues with simple, two-dimension solutions.

Often challenging and inspiring, these real life stories are compelling and powerful and they help us understand what it means to be a citizen of the world today. The festival celebrates the significant contributions made by filmmakers worldwide to the awareness and understanding of human rights issues. “This is an opportunity for the members of the community who read, hear and watch the news and want to do something about an issue. It begins with awareness, and we hope to provide our filmgoers with a good selection of some of the most pressing human rights issues, so they can begin to take action on behalf of fellow human beings,” said Cej.

Some of the films that will be featured include:

Heavy Metal in Baghdad: Playing heavy metal in a Muslim country has always been a difficult (if not impossible) proposition but after Saddam’s regime was toppled, there was a brief moment for the band in which real freedom seemed possible.That hope was quickly dashed as their country fell into a bloody insurgency. From 2003-2006, Iraq disintegrated around them while Acrassicauda struggled to stay together and stay alive, always refusing to let their heavy metal dreams die. Their story echoes the unspoken hopes of an entire generation of young Iraqis.

Burma’s Secret War: For most of the past 16 years the rightful leader of Burma, Aung San Suu Kyi, has been held under house arrest by a brutal military dictatorship that suppresses all opposition through a policy of rape, forced labour and systematic killings. This is a country unique in failing all five crucial tests by which the UN measures human rights, yet until now the world has all but ignored. This undercover documentary goes deep inside Burma, documenting political dissent and atrocities committed against the Karen people.

Radio Okapi: In recent times, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, radio, television and newspapers served as a means to disseminate messages of hatred, propaganda and slander. After the Rwandan genocide, a group of Swiss journalists set up the Hirondelle Foundation, which works for independent and professional media, notably in zones of conflict. Radio Okapi was set up as a radio for peace amidst war. It is currently the most listened to radio station in the DRC and operates in the country’s five official languages.

Faith without Fear: As a child, Irshad Manji was a religious Muslim girl who attended Islamic school. She was expelled for asking too many difficult questions – and she is still asking them. We join Manji as she travels the globe on a journey to reconcile her faith in Allah with her love of freedom. Inspired by the Qur’an, she calls on her fellow Muslims to stop blaming others for their ills and seeks to discover how Muslims can change for the 21st century. A panel discussion will take place after the film, with special guests from the local community.

For a complete schedule, please visit the Amnesty Film Festival site at http://munai.wordpress.com/ or contact a film festival coordinator at mun.amnesty@gmail.com.

NOTE: The documentary and feature films and videos presented in the festival are individual works of art and journalism, and have not been produced by Amnesty International. The perspectives or opinions presented in these films and videos are not necessarily those of Amnesty International, and Amnesty International has not necessarily researched or verified any specific facts presented in the films.

FILMS HAVE NOT BEEN RATED; SOME FILMS MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATE FOR VIEWERS YOUNGER THAN 17. DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

Welcome!

Leanne — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:53:55 +0000

Welcome to the official website for the Fourth Annual Amnesty International Film Festival in St. John’s!

Please look around, leave a comment (below this post), check out the schedule, films etc. Navigation is on top (below the header image) as well as on the right.

Feel free to voice any questions/concerns by emailing us at mun.amnesty@gmail.com.

For more information, you may want to join the Amnesty International at Memorial University facebook group or RVSP via the Film Festival event page on Facebook!

Hope to see you at the Film Festival!

Planning Committee, Amnesty International Film Festival in St.John’s