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«Open your eyes!» filmfestival in SPB - vooraankondiging
Marie-Angell Toure - 07.12.2007 16:04
With dismay we are witnessing the rise of fascist and xenophobia attitudes that are spreading over many countries nowadays. Like viruses of deadly social illness these conceptions, ideas and attitudes mutate and adapt to new circumstances, searching for new ways of splitting people up. New approaches that justify injustice, discrimination and the abuse of human rights have reached Russia. The exuberant exchange of these ideas among extremists groups is happening.
Открыть глаза (Atkrit glaza, open your eyes)
We believe that trans-national fascism must be opposed by global partnerships. Their resolve based on hatred must be withstood by solidarity amongst tolerant and humanitarian people.
We are convinced that nationalistic and race barriers contradict the ideal of any sound society. These attitudes prevent society from harmonious and mutually enriching coexistence, as well as hindering the thriving development of civilization. We see the efficient ways of realizing a humanistic conception by unifying the arts, science and social practice during our event.
Our third film festival against racism and xenophobia «Open your eyes!» will take place on the 19-23rd of March in the one of the first-rate cinemas of St. Petersburg. The festival is carried out by the support of UNITED — the European network against racism and xenophobia and by a wide range of Russian and foreign partners. The festival was held the first time in a small auditorium of our colleagues, but for the second time it took place in one of the most popular movie theaters in the downtown.
Usually we show five feature films or documentaries. For example, last time we presented the feature film «Hotel Rwanda» about genocide in Rwanda, a Swedish movie about little emigrants «We Can Be heroes» and a documentary «The time of Peace» about one of the Russian neo-Nazi marches in 2006. The movie presentation is followed by discussion featuring well-known Russian human rights defenders, scientists, NGO activists, witnesses of the events in case and so on. For instance our experts have been representatives of the Red Cross, Academy of Sciences, and a sociological center «SOVA», which deals with nationalism and xenophobia. Because of our young audience, discussions are often heated and interesting. Last year our festival attracted about 3000 visitors.
We would like to ask you to find and send us recent films (made in 2003-2007) on the subjects of racism, xenophobia, emigrant problems, inter-cultural connections, and the happy co-existence of people from different nationalities, and the like. If there is a movie from your country, could you please help us to find contacts to ask the rights to show the movie?
It could be great to organize some training for feedback with our young spectators after a performance, especially for those whom participation in discussion is not so easy. Our deadline for forming the programme is: 07.01.08.
Also maybe you could advice us about another organisation in your country who has experience in solving or researching related to this topic. Perhaps they could be also our experts. Our deadline for forming a list of experts is: 10.01.08.
 E-Mail: marieangell.toure@gmail.com  Website: http://www.openeyes.spb.ru
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