The UNiTE to End Violence against Women Film Festival

06 Dec 2011 - 10 Dec 2011

Venue: Main Theatre
Ages: All Ages

From the bedroom to the battlefield: 6 -10 December 2011

To coincide with the annual 16 Days of Activism Campaign, UNDP and UNFPA in collaboration with the Department of Arts and Culture, Department for Women, Children and People with Disabilities, the Films and Publications Board (FPB), UNWomen, UNICEF, and foreign missions such as the Jamaican High Commission, British High Commission and the Department for International Development (DFID); with Women of the Sun and Nayanaya Pictures are hosting a 16 Days of Activism Film Festival entitled ‘From the Bedroom to the Battlefield’. Films from across the continent and the world, with subject matter relevant to UNiTE goals will be screened.
Filmmakers and directors will be present to speak about their work. Workshops and seminars addressing themes as diverse as “gender and filmmaking”, “misogyny and masculinity ”, “children and pornography”, “rape and corrective rape”, “the youth and media”, “the role of NGO’s and civil society in ending violence”will be held.
The Market Theatre will be the hub of the festival with additional screenings taking place at the Ditsong Cultural History Museum in Pretoria, Alexandra Thusong Recreational Centre,Yeoville Recreation Centre and at The Kliptown Youth Project Outdoor Centre.
Films lined up include: A Love During the War about rape as a weapon of war, by Cameroonian filmmaker, Osvalde Lewat-Hallade; the multiple award-winning; China’s Forgotten Children by Jezza Neumann, Sengadal/The Dead Sea by Indian filmmaker Leena Manimekelai, and the Ghanaian inspired documentary The Witches of Gambaga by Yaba Badoe, amongst others. The closing night, Saturday 10 December, will allow for an outdoor screening of Mama Africa, a documentary film about Miriam Makeba which will screen at Moyo’s Restaurant, Fountains road, in Pretoria. The South African film about women, the law and violence; A Country for my Daughter by Lucilla Blackenberg will round up the Market Theatre leg of the festival in Johannesburg.
About UNiTE:
In February 2008, the UN Secretary-General Ban-ki Moon launched the UNiTE to End Violence against Women - 2008-2015 Campaign. The overall objective of the campaign is to raise public awareness and increase political will and resources to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls in all countries across the world.
The government of South Africa, as a signatory to international conventions related to gender equality and the protection of women, has identified the combating of violent crimes against women and children as a priority.
Since the UNiTE campaign was launched 15 years ago, the Fund has delivered grants of over $77 million to 339 initiatives in 126 countries and territories. The inaugural film festival seeks to support the campaign.
For more information contact:
The Festival Coordinator
2 Diamond Court. Umlazi Street.
Highlands. Johannesburg. South Africa
Telephone # + 27 (011) 648 6903; +27 (0772) 504 1929; +27 (074) 452 9012
Email: unitesafilmfestival@gmail.com or mailto:info@unitefilmfestivalsa.co.za
website: http://www.un.org/en/women/endviolence/

Programme at Market Theatre:

Tuesday 6 December: Opening Film - A Love During the War (63min) @ 19h30
Wednesday 7 December: Difficult Love (48min) and Whole - Trinity of Being (15min) and Zero Tolerance (16min) @ 14h30; China’s Stolen Children (90min) @ 19h30
Thursday 8 December: For our Land - The Wangari Mathaai story (52min) and Philia (15min) @ 14h30;Calling the Ghosts (63min) @ 19h30
Friday 9 December: Jiva Majaivane (24min) and Atrophy (8min) and Southern Cross (26min) @14h30; The Dead Sea/Sengadal (102min) @ 19h30
Saturday 10 December: Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes (90min) @ 14h00-17h00; The Witches Of Gambaga (55min) and The day I wore my Hijab (15min) and The Deliverance Of Comfort (8min) @ 17h00; A Country For My Daughter (54min) @ 19h30