HOW MUCH IS THAT HUMAN RIGHT IN THE WINDOW? Day 6 at the Tri Continental Film Festival
Wednesday, 30th July 2008 - The Tri Continental Festival concluded today at the Maquinez Palace, Panaji with the screening of two powerful documentaries. If there is anything at all negative to be said about a festival like this it could be that it is so gripping, involving and intense that there is a tendency at the end of it to be all talked out. After six days of being blitzed with images of the horror and injustice human beings are capable of, it's easy to sit back and say: I've done enough just by watching it, being aware of it and discussing it, I need a break. Or even get frustrated about not being able to make a dent in the constant barrage of wrongdoing. Sure, we do not all have the courage, determination or capability to be activists and social workers. But we can act in little ways. We can continue to spread awareness of what we've seen, arrange for others to watch these documentaries -especially in educational institutions, we can write articles and letters to newspapers about human right violations in our State and Country, we can join any one of the various activist groups in Goa, we can be more educated and informed by accessing websites on these issues or we can make a documentary on an issue we feel strongly about. We can treat each other in a kind, thoughtful and civil manner, even if we have opposing points of view. And finally, if we find it difficult to actively get involved we can help fund a child's education, someone's healthcare or give money to a social organization, educational institute, or activist group who are doing the hard work for us.
The first film today was 'China Blue', a powerful and poignant journey into the harsh world of sweatshop workers. Directed by Micha Peled and shot clandestinely, it is a deep-access account of what both China and the international retailers don't want us to see: how the clothes we buy are actually made. It is an alarming report on the economic pressures applied by Western companies and the resulting human consequences. More alarming is the fact that this documentary could've been shot in India. Sweat shops and the use of child labour have been around for so long it is shocking how blithely we can shrug the issue off. It is easy to blame Western conglomerates for paying handsomely for our silence on human right atrocities we perpetrate in our own backyard. We excuse it as a vital aid to our developing economy that will eventually seep down to the poor who are being exploited. It is more difficult to accept that we turn a blind eye because we enjoy the benefits they allow us. How many of us would be willing to pay more for a pair of Jeans just because we know that it is made by a 'fair-trade' company?
The second film 'Movement (R)evolution Africa' directed by Froch & Alla Kovgan is dedicated to all those who look to Africa as a source of heritage and inspiration, and to all those who seek to understand dance in the 21st century, and, most particularly, to the artists of the film who have told and danced their stories for history and for the future. It is about African dancers expressing themselves in new, non-traditional ways. Of creating a contemporary art form not restricted by the world view of what African dance should be, yet it is undeniably African because it is about African history told by the people of Africa in there own language. Beautifully constructed, this documentary was a fitting and inspirational finale to the Festival.
Gayatri Konkar of Moving Images, brought the event to a close by thanking the co-hosts of the festival the Entertainment Society of Goa, The International Centre, Goa, Breakthrough and all the people - the projectionists, volunteers and audience, who helped make this Tri Continental Film Festival such a wonderful event. (ENDS)
http://www.moviesgoa.org/page/tri_continental/ Goanet A&E http://www.goanet.org
