| AN OUTLOOK TO (IN)JUSTICE |
DOCUMENTARIST – Istanbul Documentary Days is adding a new event to the scope of activities it arranges through out the year: “Which Human Rights?” Aiming to raise the question of human rights through the films that convey striking experiences from different parts of the world as well as from Turkey, DOCUMENTARIST organizes a week of documentary films on 14-17 December 2009 on the occasion of Human Rights Day. The main theme of this year’s event is ‘prison’. Considering the fact that the prisons, one of the most chronic problems among the human right issues, are kept out of the agenda in order to ensure their invisibility; the films focusing on the problems of prisons were chosen for the program. Many significant films that were not shown in Turkey before will take part in this mini festival that is designed in accord with the tradition of ‘human rights film festivals’ held in many countries in the world.
LIFES IN PRISONS
‘In Prison My Whole Life’ is a documentary film produced by the actor Colin Firth about the life of journalist/writerMumia Abu Jamal who is sentenced to death. ‘Rene’ filmed in 20 years by Helena Trestikova, is a remarkable journey to the inner life of a man who spent most of his life in prison. Another film ‘La Forteresse’ is  about the lives of the immigrants who are held in a remote camp in Swiss mountains.
‘The Reckoning’, this year screened in the Sundance Film Festival for the first time, tells about the efforts of an International Criminal Court prosecutor. ‘Blue Helmets: Peace and Dishonor’ shows the crimes committed by UN Peace Forces, while ‘The Glass House’ conveys portraits from a women’s shelter in Iran. Also a collection of short films from Netherlands will be screened with the title of ‘Life in Prison’. In the Week of Documentaries there will be three films on Palestine. ‘Encounter Point’, ‘Sumoud – This Palestinian Life’, and ‘Three Uncles Go to Gaza’ the story of the Viva Palestina convoy that took humanitarian aid to Gaza after traveling through France, Spain, North Africa, and Egypt. As a part of the same organization this year the convoy will pass through Istanbul, continuing to Syria and Jordan to reach Gaza one more time. The screening of ‘Three Uncles Go to Gaza’ will take place with the participation of the director and the convoy representatives. From Turkey, the films ‘Prison No. 5’ and ‘The Visitors’ that recently shared the Golden Orange Award will meet with the viewer one more time. Also the film ‘Ibret Olsun Diye’ that questions the death sentence in Turkey will be screened.
Documentarist’s “Which Human Rights?” event organized by Eurasia Art Collective is held in association with the General Consulate of Netherlands in 14-17 December, 2009. Besides the film screenings there will be a panel discussion to raise public awareness on the living conditions in prisons and a campaign will be organized to write letters to the prisoners. The screenings will be held in Dutch Chapel (Beyoğlu) andTütün Deposu (Tophane).
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