Editor

21 March â€" 30 March 2012
Curzon Mayfair, Curzon Soho, ICA, Ritzy
ff.hrw.org/london

ff.hrw.org/press

FILMMAKERS, SPECIAL GUESTS & PANELISTS in London to attend the Human Rights Watch Film Festival starting this Wednesday 21 March

Throughout the 16th edition of the Human Rights Watch Film Festival which opens this week on Wednesday 21 March filmmakers, film subjects, special guests and panellists will attend post screening discussions and are available for interview. Below are detailed the guests attending and the dates they are available. Full festival press release attached. If you would like to request an interview please get in touch with the HRWFF press office at: 020 7232 2812 or email sarah@sarahharvey.info / liz@sarahharvey.info

 

For Human Rights Watch Film Festival:

·      John Biaggi, Festival Director â€" 21-30 March

·      Andrea Holley, Deputy Director â€" 21-30 March

For Human Rights Watch

·      Liesl Gerntholtz, director, Womenâ€TMs Rights Division, Human Rights Watch â€" 28-30 March

 

Opening Night Film & Reception

THE ISLAND PRESIDENT (UK Premiere)

 

Thursday 22 March 18.30 | Curzon Soho

Panel Discussion and Reception

Jon Shenkâ€TMs The Island President tells the story of former President Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldives, who must grapple with the daunting prospect of his country fighting for physical survival and his citizens becoming ‘environmental refugeesâ€TM.

Director Jon Shenk cannot attend the festival but is available for interview by phone.

Following the screening there will be a panel discussion with: Mark Lynas, Climate Advisor to Former President Nasheed; and Ahmed Shafeeq Moosa, Envoy for Science and Technology, The Presidentâ€TMs Office. Discussion moderated by Damian Carrington.

 Trailer:

http://vimeo.com/36515698

Interview with Jon Shenk and Former President Nasheed:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InhZePUFaHI

http://ff.hrw.org/film/island-president
http://dogwoof.com/films/the-island-president

 

The Island President is released in the UK on 30 March.

FAMILY PORTRAIT IN BLACK AND WHITE

Friday 23 March 18.30 | Ritzy | Q&A

Saturday 24 March 14.00 | ICA | Q&A

 

In a Ukrainian village, the formidable Olga Nenya single-handedly raises 23 foster children. Sixteen are mixed-race offspring of visiting African students and Ukrainian women, who often see no choice but to abandon their babies.

Filmmaker Julia Ivanova will attend the screenings and is available for interview between 21 March and 24 March.

 

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=eEWs5lxIaPE

Interview with Julia Ivanova:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bd-WIxOrVGs

http://ff.hrw.org/film/family-portrait-black-and-white

http://www.familyportraitthefilm.com/

 

 

LOVE CRIMES OF KABUL (UK Premiere)

 

Friday 23 March 18.30 | ICA | Q&A

Saturday 24 March 16.30 | Ritzy | Q&A

 

Jailed for running away from home to escape abuse, for allegations of adultery, and other “moral crimes”, the women of Afghanistanâ€TMs Badum Bagh prison band together to fight for their freedom.

Tanaz Eshaghian will attend the screenings and is available for interview between 23 March and 24 March.

Trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUjSrjhx8HQ

Interview with Tanaz Eshaghian:

http://www.hbo.com/documentaries/love-crimes-of-kabul/index.html#/documentaries/love-crimes-of-kabul/interview/tanaz-eshaghian.html

http://ff.hrw.org/film/love-crimes-kabul

http://www.hbo.com/documentaries/love-crimes-of-kabul/index.html

 

THE PRICE OF SEX (UK Premiere)

 

Friday 23 March 18.40 | Curzon Soho | Q&A

Saturday 24 March 16.45 | ICA | Panel Discussion

Sunday 25 March 19.00 | Ritzy | Q&A

 

Intimate and revealing, The Price of Sex, is a feature-length documentary about young Eastern European women who have been drawn into a world of sex trafficking and abuse.

Filmmaker Mimi Chakarova will be attending the screenings and is available for interview between 22 March and 26 March.

Following the screening on Saturday 24 March there will be a panel discussion with: Mimi Chakarova, filmmaker and photojournalist; Abigail Stepnitz, national coordinator, Poppy Project. Discussion moderated by Liesl Gerntholtz, director, Womenâ€TMs Rights division, Human Rights Watch.

Trailer:

http://blip.tv/center-for-investigative-reporting/the-price-of-sex-trailer-4760035

Interview with Mimi Chakarova:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/womenandhollywood/human_rights_watch_int._film_fest_the_price_of_sex_-_directed_by_mimi_chaka

Mimi Chakarova website:
http://www.mclight.com/contact.html

 

http://ff.hrw.org/film/price-sex

http://priceofsex.org/

 

 

 

EVEN THE RAIN

 

Friday 23 March 21.15 | Ritzy | Q&A

Monday 26 March 21.00 | Curzon Soho | Q&A

 

Based on events of the Bolivian Water War of April 2000, Even the Rain recounts a story that parallels the history of Christopher Columbus, with sticks and stones confronting the weaponry of a modern army. Only this time the fight is not over gold, but the simplest of elements â€" water.

Screenwriter Paul Laverty will be attending the screenings and is available for interview between 23 March and 25 March.

 

Trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=hbpdeI0ugGc

Interview with Icíar Bollaín:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oliHeIto8PM

http://ff.hrw.org/film/even-rain

http://dogwoof.com/films/even-the-rain

 

Even The Rain is released on 18 May.

 

 

 

BLACK BLOCK (UK Premiere)

Saturday 24 March 18.40 | Curzon Soho | Q&A

Sunday 25 March 16.30 | Ritzy | Q&A

 

Through gripping testimony of those who experienced the raid on the Diaz school at the 2001 Genoa G8 Summit, Black Block provides a case study of police violence and arbitrary detention that could happen anywhere.

Filmmaker Carlo Augusto Bachschmidt, and subject Daniel McQuillan (UK based) will be attending the screenings. Daniel is UK based and available for interview. Carlo is available for interview between 24 March and 26 March.

 

Trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaQ-A3b7ViA

http://ff.hrw.org/film/black-block

http://www.fandango.it/scheda.php/it/black-block/580

 

 

BROTHER NUMBER ONE (UK Premiere)

 

Sunday 25 March 16.00 | Curzon Soho | Q&A

Monday 26 March 18.30 | Ritzy | Q&A

 

Through New Zealander Rob Hamillâ€TMs story of his brotherâ€TMs death at the hands of the Khmer Rouge, Brother Number One explores how the regime and its followers killed nearly 2 million Cambodians between 1975 and 1979.

 

Filmmaker Annie Goldson and film subject Rob Hamill will be attending the screenings and are available for interview.

Annie Goldson will be available between 23 March and 27 March

Rob Hamill will be available between 22 March and 30 March.

 

Trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnAQH02GHoA

Interview with Rob Hamill:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/p00gzd8z

Review:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/film/film-reviews/6551872/Film-Review-Brother-Number-One

http://ff.hrw.org/film/brother-number-one

http://brothernumberone.co.nz/blog

 

 

 

HABIBI (UK Premiere)

 

Sunday 25 March 18.40 | Curzon Soho | Q&A

Monday 26 March 21.00 | Ritzy  

 

“We have a right to love… We have a right to be happy even if people around us go hungry and are dying. To lose these things would be to completely give in to the occupation.” â€" Layla, Khan Yunis, Gaza Strip, Occupied Palestine Territories.  

 

Filmmaker Susan Youssef will attend the screening on Sunday 25 March and is available for interview between 23 March and 25 March

 

Trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTEnneD1dZY

Interview with Susan Youssef:

http://goo.gl/mty0B

http://ff.hrw.org/film/habibi

http://www.habibithefilm.com/start.html

 

 

 

PUTINâ€TMS KISS (UK Premiere)

 

Sunday 25 March 20.00 | ICA | Q&A (tbc)

Monday 26 March 18.40 | Curzon Soho | Q&A (tbc)

 

Meet Masha, a 19-year-old who grew up in the Putin era, on her journey through the Kremlin-created Nashi youth movement.

Filmmaker Lise Birk Pedersen will attend the screenings and is available for interview between March 25 and March 26.

Trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Mu3jqfyAdY

Interview with Lise Birk Pedersen:

http://www.indiewire.com/article/meet-the-2012-sundance-filmmakers-49-lise-birk-pedersen-putins-kiss

http://ff.hrw.org/film/putins-kiss

http://putinskissmovie.com/

 

 

 

PINK RIBBONS INC. (UK Premiere)

 

Tuesday 27 March 18.30 | Ritzy | Q&A

Thursday 29 March 18.40 | Curzon Soho | Q&A

 

Léa Poolâ€TMs critical, investigative documentary Pink Ribbons Inc. begins on a sunny day in San Francisco as thousands of people prepare for a gruelling two-day walk to raise money for a cure for breast cancer.

Filmmaker Léa Pool will attend the screenings and is available for interview between March 26 and March 29.

 

Trailer:

http://www.nfb.ca/film/pink_ribbons_inc_trailer/

Interview with Léa Pool:

http://www.nfb.ca/playlists/pink_ribbons_inc/viewing/pink_ribbons_origins/

http://ff.hrw.org/film/pink-ribbons-inc

http://www.nfb.ca/playlist/pink_ribbons_inc/

 

 

 

RAISING RESISTANCE (UK Premiere)

 

Tuesday 27 March 18.40 | Curzon Soho | Q&A

Wednesday 28 March 20.40 | Ritzy | Q&A

 

Beautifully shot and interweaving interviews with scenes from soy fields in Paraguay, Raising Resistance explores Latin American farmersâ€TM struggle against the expanding production of genetically modified soy in South America.

Filmmaker Bettina Borgfeld will attend the screenings and is available for interview between March 27 and March 29.

 

Trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWBzhJUYsik

http://ff.hrw.org/film/raising-resistance

http://www.raising-resistance.info/

 

 

LITTLE HEAVEN (UK Premiere)

 

Wednesday 28 March 18.30 | Ritzy | Q&A

Thursday 29 March 18.30 | ICA | Q&A

 

“HIV is like somebody living in my body without paying rent. I donâ€TMt know him and I donâ€TMt like him.” â€" Lydia, 13, Little Heaven Orphanage, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Filmmaker Lieven Corthouts will attend the screenings and is available for interview between March 28 and March 29.

Trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQ74gt0W0xo

Interview with Lieven Corthouts:

http://docgeeks.com/2011/11/22/interview-lieven-corthouts/

http://ff.hrw.org/film/little-heaven

http://www.taskovskifilms.com/film/little-heaven/

 

 

SAVING FACE (UK Premiere)

 

Wednesday 28 March 18.40 | Curzon Soho | Introduction & Q&A

Thursday 29 March 21.15 | Ritzy | Introduction & Q&A

 

In Pakistan, a womanâ€TMs face is deemed to be her greatest asset. Someone seeking to punish a woman need only destroy her face to do her permanent harm â€" both physically and socially.

 

Both screenings will be followed by a discussion with Obaid Chinoy, Daniel Junge and Dr. Mohammad Jawad, moderated by Liesl Gerntholtz, womenâ€TMs rights director at Human Rights Watch and introduced by Katie Piper, founder of the Katie Piper Foundation.

 

Filmmakers Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy and Daniel Junge will attend the screenings and are available for interview between 28 March and 29 March. Dr. Mohammad Jawad is UK based and available for interview.

 

 

Trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWrk-brFCrY

Interview with Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDYpIvLL02w

http://ff.hrw.org/film/saving-face

http://www.savingfacefilm.com/

 

 

INTO THE ABYSS: A TALE OF DEATH, A TALE OF LIFE

 

Wednesday 28 March 21.00 | Curzon Soho | Q&A

Thursday 29 March 18.30 | Ritzy

 

Werner Herzogâ€TMs latest stunning documentary focuses on the bleak yet fascinating subject of capital punishment, following the moving story of Michael Perry and Jason Burkett, two young men found guilty of three capital murders in Texas.

 

Filmmaker Werner Herzog will attend the screening on Wednesday 28 March. Interview requests will be passed to Revolver Entertainment who release Into The Abyss on 30 March.

 

Trailer:

http://www.ifcfilms.com/videos/into-the-abyss-trailer

Werner Herzog discusses Into the Abyss:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/video/2011/sep/09/werner-herzog-into-the-abyss

http://ff.hrw.org/film/abyss-tale-death-tale-life

http://www.ifcfilms.com/films/into-the-abyss

 

 

 

Closing Night Film & Reception
WHERE DO WE GO NOW?

Friday 30 March 18.30 | Ritzy | Q&A and Reception

 

Set against the backdrop of a war-torn country, Where Do We Go Now? tells the heart-warming tale of a group of women determined to protect their isolated, mine-encircled, community from the pervasive and divisive outside forces that threaten to destroy it from within.

Filmmaker Nadine Labaki will attend the screening interviewed by journalist Charlotte O'Sullivan. Nadine is available for interview on 30 March.

 

Trailer:

http://www.patheinternational.com/en/fiche.php?id_film=693

Interview with Nadine Labaki:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYPgWYQRI6w

http://ff.hrw.org/film/where-do-we-go-now

http://www.patheinternational.com/en/fiche.php?id_film=693

 

 

For full synopses, screening details, and downloadable images please see festival website at: ff.hrw.org/press

FOR FURTHER DETAILS about filmmaker interviews, DVD screeners and press ticket requests please contact:

Sarah Harvey Publicity, 020 7232 2812

Sarah Harvey sarah@sarahharvey.info

or Liz Parkinson liz@sarahharvey.info