I'm getting this out a little late, but I figured it was worthwhile enough to get out for what little time there is left...
This weekend is the Marda Loop Justice Film Festival in Calgary. It actually started on Wednesday, but the bulk of the films are being shown on Saturday and Sunday. The Marda Loop Justice Film Festival is a documentary film festival with the goal of, through films and discussion, promoting understanding of justice issues and advocating for the wellbeing of local and global neighbours. From the Wednesday to the Sunday documentaries are shown, for free, on a wide range of current social issues. On the weekend evenings there is also what the organizers term an "NGO Village", which, if it is the same from previous years, provides the opportunity for local NGOs, as well as local chapters of national and international NGO's, to advertise their work and how to become involved. This festival has been running here in Calgary for I think 8 years or so, I have been attending for maybe 5 or 6. I am consistently impressed by the range of topics and quality of the films presented, and this year looks to be no exception.
The topics this year as always cover a range of issues including a variety of environmental issues (Yasuni, Chasing Ice), health (GMO OMG), North American ethical issues such as the market in human egg cells (Eggsploitation), human rights issues such as female gendercide (It's a Girl), peoples' struggles for freedom (State of Control and The Defector), special needs (My Way to Olympia), mental health (Marta's Suitcase), homelessness (Cardboard) and others. The films are generally informative, as a minimum, and often also attempt to approach the central issue from a different perspective than what might be common in the general populace, an approach I appreciate as it helps to get one thinking about the topic critically. Reading the descriptions for this year I do not expect this to have changed from previous years. Festivals such as these incredibly valuable. Not only just for the difference in perspective that can often be gained, but also because they provide an easy touchpoint to become aware of, or more familiar with, current social justice, human rights, and global interest topics (such as the environment) both close to home and throughout the world. There is so much going on in the world it is impossible to keep track of all of it, festivals such as these help considerably with opening one's mind and eyes to the wider world around us. This is the first year my son has participated in the festival, so far we have seen "State of Control" and "Yasuni". I was happy with his comments after seeing "State of Control" - he stated that he had been aware of the restrictions described in the description of the film, but until seeing the film he did not really understand. This, I think, is exactly the purpose of films such as these, and the reason people take the time, and sometimes risks, to produce them, and I am thankful that this modality of communication exists for me to use to enhance both my, and my son's, understanding of issues which we cannot always go to experience first hand ourselves.
So for any of you in Calgary who are able to make it, do look up the festival, and choose a film or two to try. It's free. And different. For those of you elsewhere, perhaps look up if there are any similar events in your area. And for those of you who produce such films, those who work so hard to provide a forum for their presentation, and the financial sponsors, thank-you.
This weekend is the Marda Loop Justice Film Festival in Calgary. It actually started on Wednesday, but the bulk of the films are being shown on Saturday and Sunday. The Marda Loop Justice Film Festival is a documentary film festival with the goal of, through films and discussion, promoting understanding of justice issues and advocating for the wellbeing of local and global neighbours. From the Wednesday to the Sunday documentaries are shown, for free, on a wide range of current social issues. On the weekend evenings there is also what the organizers term an "NGO Village", which, if it is the same from previous years, provides the opportunity for local NGOs, as well as local chapters of national and international NGO's, to advertise their work and how to become involved. This festival has been running here in Calgary for I think 8 years or so, I have been attending for maybe 5 or 6. I am consistently impressed by the range of topics and quality of the films presented, and this year looks to be no exception.
The topics this year as always cover a range of issues including a variety of environmental issues (Yasuni, Chasing Ice), health (GMO OMG), North American ethical issues such as the market in human egg cells (Eggsploitation), human rights issues such as female gendercide (It's a Girl), peoples' struggles for freedom (State of Control and The Defector), special needs (My Way to Olympia), mental health (Marta's Suitcase), homelessness (Cardboard) and others. The films are generally informative, as a minimum, and often also attempt to approach the central issue from a different perspective than what might be common in the general populace, an approach I appreciate as it helps to get one thinking about the topic critically. Reading the descriptions for this year I do not expect this to have changed from previous years. Festivals such as these incredibly valuable. Not only just for the difference in perspective that can often be gained, but also because they provide an easy touchpoint to become aware of, or more familiar with, current social justice, human rights, and global interest topics (such as the environment) both close to home and throughout the world. There is so much going on in the world it is impossible to keep track of all of it, festivals such as these help considerably with opening one's mind and eyes to the wider world around us. This is the first year my son has participated in the festival, so far we have seen "State of Control" and "Yasuni". I was happy with his comments after seeing "State of Control" - he stated that he had been aware of the restrictions described in the description of the film, but until seeing the film he did not really understand. This, I think, is exactly the purpose of films such as these, and the reason people take the time, and sometimes risks, to produce them, and I am thankful that this modality of communication exists for me to use to enhance both my, and my son's, understanding of issues which we cannot always go to experience first hand ourselves.
So for any of you in Calgary who are able to make it, do look up the festival, and choose a film or two to try. It's free. And different. For those of you elsewhere, perhaps look up if there are any similar events in your area. And for those of you who produce such films, those who work so hard to provide a forum for their presentation, and the financial sponsors, thank-you.
