Human Rights Festival – Film Review
Films focusing on human rights are not likely to be a bundle of laughs, but there is plenty of quality entertainment in the Human Rights Film Festival currently playing in Wellington (and due in Christchurch in the coming week).
Loosely linked by a theme of ‘identity’, the programme traverses the trouble spots of the world – Chechnya, Palestine, Central America, Algeria, the Balkans and Burma among them – plus some more global topics such as disability, racial discrimination, children and women’s concerns.
Most are documentaries but two full-length features and nine short films offer an interesting mix. Some are followed by discussions with local speakers knowledgeable about the topic just screened.
Goal Dreams, Wellington’s opening night documentary, was sponsored by Christian World Service. It followed the tensions and tribulations involved in building a soccer team to represent Palestine in the recent Football World Cup. The complexities of drawing eligible players from South and North America as well as Britain, and trying to extricate seven Palestinian residents from Gaza, made the point about Palestine’s present situation in a telling way.
New Zealand gets a look in with Breath of Peace about peace activists and Signs of the Times on the struggle for recognition of New Zealand Sign Language.
The Festival closes in Wellington 16 May and opens in Christchurch the same day, showing until May 20th.
Julia Stuart
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