Festival of Alternatives: Films
Showing in cinemas,
social centres & reclaimed outdoor spaces, the films range from 'Injustice'
- about deaths in police custody, to 'Black Box Germany' - about Red Army
Factions in Germany.
See below for a full list of films by date:
Sunday 28th April
Indymedia Event - 12-3pm (please note change of
time)
Venue: Rio Cinema, 107 Kingsland High St, Dalston, E8. Tel 0207
241 9410
featuring: (times are approximate)
12pm Globalisation and the Media - Undercurrents 2001 - 40 mins -
This documentary explores the role of the media in this corporate led
take over of the Planets natural resources. It explores how the media
is involved in shaping public opinion during the ‘War on Terrorism’
- and offers a wide range of viewpoints from broadcasters, journalists,
computer hackers, media activists, and news editors. It also investigate
the bias of Television news during the protest blockades of the IMF and
the G8 summits. From Nigeria to Britain the film reports on the violent
suppression of alternative media and how new technology, such as the internet
and camcorders, is challenging the role of the traditional news gatherer.
Includes Interviews with:
Chris Cramer- President CNN International news
George Monbiot- Investigative reporter
Katharine Ainger- Editor New Internationalist
Mark Covell + others - Indymedia network
Sonali Fernadez- Media Workers against the War
Danny Schecter- Director Mediachannel.org
Emmanuel Goldstein – Editor of 2600 The Hackers Quarterly
Amy Goodman- Producer Democracy Now in Exile
1pm Genoa Zona Rossa - IMC Global Mix - World Premiere - indymedia
2001 - 80 mins -
The 2001 G8 protests in Genoa Italy flashed across television screens
worldwide - 300,000 people taking to the streets, the shooting dead of
protestor Carlo Guiliani, the unseen levels of violence and police brutality
culminating in the bloody attack of sleeping protestors at the Diaz school
during the midnight raids on the Genoa Social Forum and Indymedia Italia.
This film pulls together over 200 hours of footage shot by around 50 alternative
media camera crews (individuals and collectives), to put the shocking
events into their true context.
At the same time inspirational and shocking, the film deals with the background
and preparations for the protests from the repressive security arrangements
to the opening of alternative spaces, through the several days of demonstrations
where various themes are explored, from the political issues to street
tactics.
Over 20 films have now been made about the protests, but no single portrayal
can do justice to the complexity and confusion that reigned in Italy during
the 'genoa days'. This film will give the viewer a taste of the joy and
sorrow experienced during those days, but it is also an ongoing story
- and includes the struggle for justice in Italy as enquiries and prosecutions
continue to send shockwaves throughout the political spectrum - while
across the world, following the September 11th attacks in America, social
movements and anti-globalisation protestors face an increasing level of
repression as governments seek to criminalise dissent and widen the definitions
of 'terrorism'.
3pm IMC Argentina Film - about the recent crisis - from the
start - subtitled eng - - 30 mins
With time for discussion between each film.
£5 entry.
Monday 29th April
'La Bisagra de la Historia' - 8pm
Argentina hit the news spectacularly in December last year, when its people
took to the streets in fury after a state of emergency had been declared
by the president: the next day the cabinet had resigned, the president
had fled and thirty were dead, killed during rioting and food looting.
Since then, Argentina continues to live through a transitional time; protests,
road-blockings, and almost daily 'cacerolazos' (pot-banging protests)
at the Supreme Court, Congress and at city centre banks have become a
fact of life. As President Duhalde struggles to control a bankrupt economy
and furious savers attack the banks in which their savings have been frozen,
questions are being asked in Argentina and all over the world about the
country's economic model and its heavy reliance on the IMF and overseas
investors.
The film, 'La Bisagra de la Historia' (The Hinge of History) was shot
on the streets of Buenos Aires during the protests of the 19th and 20th
December - protests which turned to rioting as the police carried out
a brutal repression. Made by a group called venteveovideo as part of 'Argentina
Arde', a group of independent film-makers, photographers and journalists,
the film will be followed by a short talk about Argentina, and open discussion.
Venue: Social Centre - phone: 07786 716 335 on Friday 26th April
for details of venue.
M'AM (Movement Against the Monarchy) film showing of: "an anti
royal documentary that was screened on Channel 4 two years ago that we
helped to make. The producer will be there to talk/answer questions and
talk about the forthcoming anti Jubilee film we're making."
Venue: Social Centre - phone: 07786 716 335 on Friday 26th April
for details of venue.
9pm.
Tuesday 30th April
Protest against Channel Four's censorship of 'Injustice'
- 9.00pm
Injustice is a radical feature length film about the struggles for justice
by the families of people that have died in police custody. On its release
a year ago the police tried to censor the film by threatening cinemas.
Months of fighting, by the film makers & families in the film, ended
in victory with the police backing off and the film on release in cinemas
across the UK & internationally.
But Channel Four still refuse to broadcast the film because
they won't take on the Police Federation. C4 are not only banning the
film they are telling the police 'It's ok to kill, we won't turn our cameras
on you'. Protest against the ban - since C4 won't screen Injustice
then we are going to screen it on C4!
Organised by 'Friends of Injustice' as part of the Mayday Festival of
Alternatives.
Venue: Channel Four Television, 124 Horseferry Road, London, SW1P.
Tube:
St. James Park.
For full details see: http://www.injusticefilm.org.uk
Wednesday 1st May - Mayday
The Documentary Filmmakers Group is hosting a special
event for Mayday.
The evening will include screenings of activist video shot earlier in
the day as well as completed Direct Action documentaries. This will all
be followed by a panel discussion with speakers from Media Workers Against
War, Undercurrents and Indymedia.
£3 on the door
7:00pm - Late
Arrive early for seats (120 seater cinema)
Venue: London Film School, 24 Shelton Street (nearest tube Covent
Garden)
more details at: http://www.dfglondon.com
Thursday 2nd May
Film: 'Injustice' - 6pm
Injustice is a radical feature length film about the struggles for justice
by the families of people that have died in police custody. On its release
a year ago the police tried to censor the film by threatening cinemas.
Months of fighting, by the film makers & families in the film, ended
in victory with the police backing off and the film on release in cinemas
across the UK & internationally.
Venue: London School of Economics
Showing of a documentary film (Spanish, no subtitles) of
the SINTRAEMCALI trade union occupation of the Emcali tower
in Cali, Columbia. On Christmas Day last year, 800 workers occupied
the nerve-centre of the state-owned municapal company which
runs water, electricity and telecoms, for over three weeks,and won their
fight to stop essential resources being privatised. A talk by Carlos
Gonzales, member of Sintraemcali and participant in the occupation plus
a member of the Colombia Solidarity Campaign, follows. Colombian food
possibly available.
Venue: The Union Tavern, Camberwell New Rd,
nearest tube Oval or BR Vauxhall, in the luvly back room called The Latin
Palace.
Friday 3rd May
Late night films at the Rio Cinema, 107 Kingsland
High St, Dalston. E8 Tel 0207 241 9410
11.15 pm - Black Box BRD (Black Box Germany) Dir Andres Veiel - 2001
Black Box Germany is a powerful documentary film by the award-winning
director Andres Veiel. It steps back into German history and portrays
the Federal Republic of Germany during the 70s and 80s. The country is
polarized due to the power struggle of the German state and the "Red
Army Faction", and thus on a constant brink of civil war. Society
is torn; the fronts are irreconcilable.
The life stories of both Wolfgang Grams and Alfred Herrhausen are linked
to this era, though in a tragic way. Grams is the one who takes up arms
for moral rigor; Herrhausen however seizes power and dies in power. Their
curricula vitae lead through the enemy camps of the Federal Republic,
through opposing worlds that have had no dialogue and incomprehensible
to each other until now. The fight is over, but the wounds are still open.
The film, reconstruction of a true story, has won acclaim in Germany since
its release this summer.
followed by:
Asurot (Detained) - Dir Anat Even and Ada Ushpiz - 2001.
Three Palestinian widows, live with their 11 children in a house in Hebron
that lies on the border; the front is under Israeli occupation, the Palestinian
authority controls the back. At the entrance to the house a military post,
on the roof the Israeli army has placed a watch point over Palestinian
Hebron. Three women, trapped in the middle, constantly surrounded by Israeli
soldiers, carry on their difficult lives in a perverse situation: the
occupation becomes a routine. This is the story of an occupation that
extends to the house. This is an internal prison, the external one is
the ongoing occupation. As Israeli Women directors, tired of the cumulative
effects of oppression in the occupied territories in our own society,
we wished to present the arbitrariness of the occupation as seen via the
barred windows of an occupied house, in order to show the thin line between
a smile and a gun shot.
Saturday 4th May
"Jayday" Legalise Cannabis day in Brockwell
Park - visit the Schnews marquee, Indymedia marquee, and Mayday marquee
for infostalls, vegan food, music & movie projections.
Films will include:
Britain's Black Legacy (1991/ 45minutes) A thirty year history
of the black communities resistance to racist murders and uprisings against
police violence.
Sweet France (1992 / 52 minutes) The young Arab and immigrant struggles
against racist murders and for equality in France.
Tasting Freedom (1994 / 52 minutes) Resistance to deportation and
detention by Arabs and African asylum seekers in the UK.
Monday 6th May
Film: The Coconut Revolution, 55 mins Director: Dom Rotheroe
A Stampede production - 2pm
'The first successful eco-revolution in the world'
In 1987 the people of the South Pacific island of Bougainville began an
armed rebellion against a susidiary of the British based multinational
Rio Tinto Zinc. Conzinc Riotinto Australia (CRA), with the approval of
the Papa New Guinean government, had sliced off the top of a hill hitherto
known to the locals as a rich traditional hunting ground, and had turned
it into the biggest open cast copper mine in the world.
The Panguna mine started production in 1974, and the untreated tailings
from it caused devastating environmental damage. When talks about compensation
broke down, the PNG governement sent in first the riot police and then
the Papa New Guinean Defence Force (PNGDF)- assisted and trained by Australian
military personnel. But starting with crossbows and home-made guns, Bougainvilleans
fought back. An illegal military blockade of the island was imposed, depriving
the local population access to medicines, food and any contact with the
outside world. Hence this conflict went largely unreported for many years.
The Coconut Revolution tells the amazing and uplifting story of how the
islanders re-discovered and developed a self-sufficient and ecologically
sound way of life, in order to survive their 10 year long isolation from
the rest of the world.
Under the threat of extradition to Port Moresby, with the possibility
of being shot at by Australian piloted helicopters and hidden in a precarious
boat in shark infested waters, the film-makers were the first European
based TV crew to be smuggled into the island. One of them will be available
for a Q & A session after the screening.
Winner of the Cora Coralina at the Brazil Environmental Film Festival
2001, The Richard Keefe Award at The International Broadcasting Awards,
London 2001, and Best Documentary in Video at the First International
Film Festival for Children and Youth, Argentina 2001. Shortlisted (1 of
3) for Amnesty International Media Awards 2001.
For any queries please contact ocproduc@gpo.sonnet.co.uk
Venue: London Action Resource Centre: 62 Fieldgate St., corner
of Parfett St., London E1. (nearest tubes: Whitechapel, Aldgate East)
£2 donation on the door
Film: Incitement to riot - 6pm; followed by a followed by a discussion
about how police tactics during public order situations have changed over
the past few decades.
"Incitement To Riot" is an hour long video that does just what
it says on the box! Packed with footage from all the best riots of the
past, and a hard hitting soundtrack, from Gil Scott Heron to Conflict!
followed by:
Film: New Kids on the Black Block.
Venue: London Action Resource Centre, 62 Fieldgate Street, E1 (corner
of Fieldgate St & Parfett St). Nearest tube: Aldgate East or Whitechapel.
Simon Jones Campaign: talk & film - 8pm.
Film charting the struggle of Simon Jones' family and friends to secure
justice for their loved-one's death. Simon was killed on his first day
of work four years ago when the grab of a crane virtually decapitated
him. He was sent to work at Shoreham Docks for Euromin by Personnel Selection
– a Brighton employment agency. He had had no health and safety training
whatsoever and had never worked at a dockyard before.
Film is followed by a talk describing how the campaign was set up, gained
momentum, succeeded in prosecuting Euromin - the company responsible for
the health and safety breaches which caused Simon's death - the political
issues behind corporate killing - casualisation, flexible labour, unscrupulous
employment agencies, the use of direct action, and and the future tactics.
Venue: London Action Resource Centre: 62 Fieldgate St., corner
of Parfett St., London E1. (nearest tubes: Whitechapel, Aldgate East)
