Human Rights Film Festival Aotearoa
This is scheduled for 2 - 19 May 2007 and will be held at the Academy, Paramount and Regent on Worcester respectively. The 2007 theme is 'Identity'. Carol Nelson, Boris van Beusekom and Carolyn Brown, the Festival Co-directors have worked hard to curate a programme of human rights related films for our viewing.
The festival website (http://www.humanrightsfilmfest.net.nz/) says "From films in which people attempt to assert their right to be recognized as a state, to situations where expressions of identity are taken to the extreme with disastrous results for others. Identity politics is an issue that underpins many of the debates that take place in public forums about the kind of society that we as a nation are striving to build." The organizers have arranged that after each screening, there will be a speakers' forums hosted by a panel of between 1 and 3 people who will speak about the film and the issues raised from an informed perspective. Interactive dialogue is encouraged.
All around the world, the phenomena which is "film festival" is spreading unabashedly. With the growth of all types of film festivals, it is important not to become territorial and competitive and lose sight of the greater goal of creating wider viewing and screening opportunities for New Zealand audiences.
In New Zealand, it is always harder for smaller festivals to establish themselves. It is clear that what festivals like the HRFF, Latin American Film festival, Asia NZ Film festival, DOCNZ etc all strive to do, is to bring a vareity of films and topics to New Zealand audiences that will normally not be seen. Their contribution to our cultural landscape and ability to understand and appreciate the different communities that make up our community is vital. There does not need to be any competitive environemnt between more established film festivals and the newer ones as no one festival can attempt to be all things to everyone. It is important to work together to bring the very best to New Zealand.
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