Every day there are human rights violations occurring around the world; someone is suffering at the hands of someone or some institution. The biggest in the news recently has been the turmoil in Syria. It is certainly a shame that so many innocent lives have to be claimed due to a struggle for political power. People have a right to voice their opinion without getting killed, and they have a right to life, life that someone else has no right to take away. And let's not forget the women in Pakistan who were allegedly killed for "singing" at a wedding because they were not "behaving" according to the conservative traditions of the tribe. Tragic.
But sometimes the news does't impact us as much as the movies we see. Movies make us laugh, move us to tears, touch our hearts, and provoke us to think more than we ever realize. Movies convey values and ideologies in a context where we we can relate; or they enable us to project ourselves into those contexts so that we empathize with what's going on as well as with the characters. I think documentaries and films are an integral part of creating human rights and social justice awareness among people.
So here are some upcoming films in the Long Island area that are related to social justice issues and human rights:
Gasland: this Saturday (6/9) from 7-9:15, in Babylon, free admission. The movie looks at the controversial issue of fracking.
But sometimes the news does't impact us as much as the movies we see. Movies make us laugh, move us to tears, touch our hearts, and provoke us to think more than we ever realize. Movies convey values and ideologies in a context where we we can relate; or they enable us to project ourselves into those contexts so that we empathize with what's going on as well as with the characters. I think documentaries and films are an integral part of creating human rights and social justice awareness among people.
So here are some upcoming films in the Long Island area that are related to social justice issues and human rights:
Gasland: this Saturday (6/9) from 7-9:15, in Babylon, free admission. The movie looks at the controversial issue of fracking.
The Harvest: next Wednesday 6/13 at 7:30 pm, in Huntington, $15 including a reception. This movie looks at the plight of migrant child farmworkers in the US. This film is actually from the same director as The Dark Side of Chocolate, and he will be there in person.
Human Rights Watch Film Festival - New York: June 14 - 28 at the Lincoln Center in New York City, sponsored by Human Rights Watch. Films feature a variety of human rights issues; go to the page for more information on the movies.
