September 26 - 30, 2007. Orlando, Florida.
The Global Peace Film Festival
Innocent Voices
Mexico, 2005, Luis Mandoki, director Based on the true story of screenwriter Oscar Torres's embattled childhood, Luis Mandoki's Innocent Voices is the poignant tale of Chava (Carlos Padilla), an eleven-year-old boy who suddenly becomes the "man of the house" after his father abandons the family in the middle of a civil war. In El Salvador in the 1980s, the government's armed forces are already recruiting twelve year olds, rousting them out of their classes at the local middle school. If he is lucky, Chava has just one year of innocence left before he, too, will be conscripted to fight the government's battle against the peasant rebels of the FMLN. Chava's life becomes a game of survival, not only from the bullets of the escalating war, but also from the dispiriting effects of daily violence. As he hustles to find work to help his single mother pay the bills, and experiences the pangs of first love for a beautiful classmate, Chava's tiny home village becomes both playground and battlefield. Armed only with the love of his mother (Leonor Varela) and a small radio that broadcasts a forbidden anthem of love and peace, and faced with the impossible choice of joining either the army or the rebels, Chava finds the courage to keep his heart open, and his spirit alive, in his race against time. More than 300,000 children presently serve in armies in over 40 countries.
AFTER THE APOCOLYPSE
USA, 2004, 72 minutes, Yasuaki Nakajima, Director AFTER THE APOCALYPSE is a futuristic fable about five survivors trying to make sense of a New World after a devastating urban catastrophe challenges their basic human needs. Set in a bleak, post-urban landscape in the aftermath of the Third World War, the film presents a strangely limited environment where a single woman and four men are forced to communicate without words as a result of destructive gasses from the war. When their pasts are erased by the war, they are forced to recreate their lives both individually and collectively.
ALMOST A WOMAN
The Colt USA, 84 minutes, 2005, Yelena Lanskaya, director Set in the waning days of the U.S. Civil War, a cavalry trooper’s mare gives birth to a foal. Fearing the burden to the weary company, his sergeant orders Union Private Jim Rabb to shoot the newborn colt. The trooper disobeys, ultimately risking life and limb to protect the helpless animal. As Rabb’s attachment to the colt draws him away from his regiment, he learns lessons about courage, honor, and integrity that transcend the battle lines drawn by warring factions. The colt becomes a symbol of hope that leads the entire First Cavalry on a journey of self-discovery and newfound brotherhood. 'The Colt' is based on the 1926 short story by Nobel Prize winner Mikhail Sholokhov.
DEVAKI
India, 87 minutes, 2005, Bapaditya Bandopadhyay, director This beautifully photographed film is inspired from a controversial true story. It tells the story of two young women from strikingly different backgrounds, one from the country, one from the city and explores the idea that irrespective of social condition, literacy or economic status, women are still treated as commodities. Devaki is a rural girl forced into an arranged marriage with a 70 year old man. She befriends Nandini, an urban girl who has come to the village to work for an NGO, who quits her job in protest and returns to the city and to her own problems as a women in modern Indian society. The film cuts between the highs and the lows of both girls’ lives – Devaki finds true love with a low caste runaway but suffers the consequences of a forbidden affair; Nandini returns to betrayal by a lover and finds the father who had deserted her family many years earlier only to realize that his needs from her are materialistic.
Mission Movie/Una Pelicula de la Mision
US, 95 minutes, 2004, Lise Swanson, director Mission Movie/Una Película de la Misión is a passionate and soulful urban drama of five intersecting stories taking place over one summer in the Mission District of San Francisco. Mission Movie is derived from real stories of San Francisco’s most vibrant, complex neighborhood. Inner turmoil spills outward in this bilingual drama about the struggle for territory and the need to belong. The film is a community collaboration between artists, filmmakers, activists and community leaders who were dedicated to sharing the stories of their vibrant and diverse community.
The Touch
US, 90 minutes, 2005, Jimmy Huckaby, Director Based on the true story of First Baptist Leesburg, Florida The Touch follows the angry and resentful victim of abuse Hannah and Wanda, a church worker with an ambitious plan to help people in need. Wanda's church is embroiled in a bitter decision on whether or not to open a shelter for homeless and abused women. When Hanna and Wanda’s paths cross, both women – and the church – are changed forever. Instead of building a new sanctuary, the church raised $2 million on one Sunday to build a shelter for women, a drug and alcohol center for men, children's shelters, a pregnancy care center, a benevolence center, and a medical center now staffed by 28 doctors providing free medical help to the indigent.
BALLOONHAT
USA, 2004, 88 minutes, AG Vermouth, director Addi Somekh sees colors and shapes coming from peoples’ heads, and brings his visions to life in the form of sculptural balloon hats. Charlie Eckert photographs random people around the world who agree to wear a hat, and captures their moment of bliss. Together, Addi and Charlie start with the notion that people everywhere need joy to survive, and set out to create a photo art book drawn from their adventures. BALLOONHAT reveals not only the travails of a grassroots art project, but also America’s changing status on the world stage. Each new culture’s embrace of the balloon art—from Rio’s beaches to the rubble of Sarajevo—stands in stark contrast to the narrowed world view Addi and Charlie find upon their return as they seek an outlet to spread the beauty of their project, and instead are forced to confront the realities of a post-millennial America.
The Big Question
Italy, 2005, 65 minutes, Francesco Cabras/Alberto Molinari, directors Inspired by the documentary “Assembly of Love” (1965) by Pier Paolo Pasolini, “The Big Question” asks just that. It comes from an idea that is simultaneously very simple yet remarkably complex. It poses extremely direct questions to a large number of people. The backdrop for the film is the set of Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ,” and the directors talk to cast and crew, extras, random visitors and Mel Gibson himself. While not even mentioning “The Passion” within the documentary, the setting nevertheless adds dimension to this thought-provoking, yet fun, work.
COSMIC AFRICA
South Africa, 2002, 72 minutes, Craig and Damon Foster, directors “I know so much about the stars, yet I know so little about my own continent and how my people are connected to the sky.” With these words astronomer Thebe Medupe embarks on a quest to reunite his science with the origins of celestial knowledge. His journey takes him to the ancestral lands of the Ju/’hoansi in Namibia, whose ancient creation myths link terrestrial mysteries with the movements of the stars; to the Dogon people of Mali, whose night sky maps provide signposts on how to live on earth; and deep into the Sahara, where a cosmic clock attests to the African origins of astronomy. A beautifully shot, densely layered meditation on the influence of the cosmos on our daily lives.
FAVELA RISING
US/Brazil, 80 minutes, 2005, Matt Mochary/Jeff Zimbalist, directors FAVELA RISING is the exciting and unforgettable story of a city divided and a favela (Brazilian squatter settlement) united. Haunted by the murders of family members and friends, Anderson Sa is a former drug-trafficker who takes action in Rio de Janeiro’s most feared slum. Through hip-hop music, the rhythms of the street and Afro-Brazilian dance, he rallies his community to fight against the violent oppression enforced by teenage drug armies and sustained by corrupt police. At the height of his struggle, a tragic accident threatens to silence the movement forever.
JONES HIGH SCHOOL: The Lives of Students
USA, 2005, 56 minutes, Frank Eberling, director In a 60-minute film, award-winning Director Frank Eberling examines the twin realities of Jones High School, near downtown Orlando. On one hand, Jones is beset by the stigma of recording an “F” on state achievement tests for four consecutive years. At the same time, Jones is a tradition-rich public high school that has produced some of Orlando’s most prominent leaders and scholars. The film illuminates the challenges facing an inner-city high school by weaving “daily-life” footage shot by students together with interviews of Jones High teachers, administrators and alumni.
ONE
US, 78 minutes, 2005, Ward Powers, director The universe comes to the rescue when a group of friends decide to step outside the lines of everyday existence. Armed with only a digital video camera, a list of 20 questions and a dream...these suburban dads set out to become independent film-makers in search of ‘the meaning of life.’ They traveled the country asking ‘life’s ultimate questions’ to Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, Jews, Taoists, Atheists, philosophers, social architects, mystics, monks medicine-men and more…from remote monasteries to urban alleyways. Miraculously, they are joined in their quest by many of the world’s greatest spiritual leaders, authors, icons and masters of our time. An amazing true story, the movie weaves the novice film-makers' remarkable adventures with the answers to life’s ultimate questions in a journey that just may transform your way of seeing the world... as ONE. Featuring: His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Deepak Chopra, Ram Dass, Thich Nhat Hahn, Riane Eisler, Robert Thurman, and more...
THE PEACE PATRIOTS
US, 78 minutes, 2005, Robbie Leppzer, director THE PEACE PATRIOTS is an intimate portrait of American dissenters reflecting on their personal participation as engaged citizens in a time of war. With narration by Janeane Garofalo, Filmmaker Robbie Leppzer chronicles the story of people living in one area of New England who oppose the U.S. invasion and military occupation of Iraq. The film follows a diverse group of individuals, ranging in age from 13 to 74, including teenagers, college students, teachers, clergy, and war veterans, as they take part in vigils, marches, theater performances, and civil disobedience sit-ins to protest the war. “In a time of sadness, thinking of the dead and maimed on both sides, THE PEACE PATRIOTS gives us hope and inspiration.” —Howard Zinn, author, A PEOPLE’S HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES. Featuring music by 2005 Grammy award-winner Steve Earle and more.
RAISING THE ASHES
US, 1997, 72 minutes, Michael O’Keefe, director Actor Michael O’Keefe directed this documentary about a five-day interfaith retreat at Auschwitz in which he participated. Organizer and Zen master Roshie Bernie Glassman brought together 150 people from different religions, including a few descendants of both camp survivors and Nazis, for a healing experience. With soundtrack songs by Patti Smith and Neil Young, color shots of participants at the retreat are intercut with black-and-white footage from the camps.
THE ROAD TO SULHA
Israel/Palestine, 2005, 57 minutes, Laura Beatty, Director Where the political dialog has failed to bring an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a small tribe of passionate and religious visionaries dares to succeed. By bringing ordinary people from both sides of the border to an unprecedented 3-day peace gathering, they hope to spark nothing less than a revolutionary movement for peace - an apolitical and spiritually based alliance fed by the transformative power of simple human connection. The Road to Sulha tells the story of their incredible encounter as Israelis and Palestinians meet with their inherited enemies and are forced to confront their own relationships to the conflict.
STRANGER IN MY HOMELAND
45 MINS Australia, 60 minutes, 2004, Chloe Traicos, director ``WHAT I want people to see is that what is happening in Zimbabwe is bordering on genocide - not only with Mugabe killing the white farmers but also with him killing all the black people who will not support him," says director Chloe Traicos. Through interviews with seven Zimbabweans - white and black - now living in Perth after recently fleeing their homes, the film reveals what is going on in Zimbabwe today.
Trudell
US, 80 minutes, 2005, Heather Rae, director Filmmaker Heather Rae spent 12 years to bring this film to life. It tells the engaging life story of Native American poet-prophet-activist John Trudell and his heartfelt message of active, personal responsibility to the earth, all of its inhabitants, and our descendents. The film combines archival, concert and interview footage in a lyrical and naturally stylized manner, with abstract imagery mirroring the coyote nature of Trudell.
VISIONING TIBET
US, 56 minutes, 2005, Isaac Solotaroff, director VISIONING TIBET chronicles the passion of ophthalmologist Marc Lieberman, founder of the Tibet Vision Project. His mission: to end preventable blindness in Tibet — which has the highest rate of untreated cataract blindness in the world — by 2020. Bringing light where there was once darkness, Lieberman’s work has been recognized by the American Academy of Ophthalmology, which named him 2003 Humanitarian of the Year. The film is built around the stories of two of Tibetans — Karma (a farmer from a small village in Northern Tibet) and Lhasang (patriarch of a nomadic family from the Tibetan plains) — who make the arduous journey to a remote clinic in the hopes of having their sight restored by Tibetan doctors trained by Lieberman. Filmed over a nearly- three-year period by an award-wining crew, VISIONING TIBET illustrates how one person can make a difference.
GENIE IN THE BOTTLE UNLEASHED
USA, 2005, 16 minutes, Stephen Sotor & Trace Gaynor, directors As a short, creative introduction to the history of the Manhattan Project and the eventual bombing of Hiroshima, "Genie" was made by two 13-year-olds who interviewed Nobel prize-winning scientists, the creator of the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists' "Doomsday Clock" and the mayor of Hiroshima, among others. In a fanciful segment, they even track down the "Genie" himself (portrayed by an actor) to find out what he has to say about the legacy of the atom bomb.
INDEBTED JOYFULLY
USA, 2005, 4 minutes, Clara Dudley, director A short experimental non-fiction piece that follows a young girl's range of experiences from her perception of current global events and the political movements surrounding these, to the commercial fun and entertainment aimed at youth in America today.
PERILOUS PROGRESS: RISKING THE RAINFOREST
USA, 2005, 25 minutes, Mike & Ryan Wham, directors The rain forest of Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica, are home to such rare animals as poison dart frogs, coatimundis, basilisk lizards, howler monkeys, and the critically endangered Mono Titi (red backed squirrel monkey). It is rapidly becoming one of the most popular and exclusive vacation destinations in all of Central America. As wealthy vacationers are attracted to Manuel Antonio in increasing numbers, real estate values are skyrocketing. As the interests of developers and environmentalists collide, the future of the precious Mono Titi hangs in the balance.
A SILENT NIGHT
USA/Vietnam, 2004, 13 minutes, Andy Nguyen, director An American soldier in 1972 Viet Nam is visited by a young monk on Christmas Eve. The boy looks for empty beverage cans to turn into lanterns until the soldier sees him in the weeds and chases him back to the Buddhist temple. Ultimately, the two learn how to communicate and appreciate the beauty and peace of one another’s company in the spirit of the holiday.
ANNA and THE SOLDIER
Germany, 2004, 10 minutes, Christian Prettin/Soeren Hueper, directors Italy in 1950. 18-year old Anna is haunted by her past. Six years ago she lost her whole family in a massacre by the German Wehrmacht. Now she lives a hard and lonely life in her small village. Again and again she has horrific memories. Italian Civilians had to dig their own graves before they were shot by the Germans... Suddenly one of the soldiers, who can not forget what he had done returns. The moment of revenge has come. With her grandfather’s old pistol Anna forces the stranger to dig his grave. But is revenge the way?
BINTA AND THE GREAT IDEA
Spain/Senegal, 30 minutes, 2004, Javier Hesser, director Binta is a 7 year old girl who lives in a small, charming village on the Casamance river in southern Senegal. She goes to school. Her cousin Soda does not have the same good fortune. She is not allowed to learn about the things of the world. Binta admires her father, a humble fisherman who, concerned about the developement of mankind, is determined to carry out an idea that has ocurred to him…
HOPE
USA, 2004, 8 minutes, Catherine Margerin, director Based on the ideas of Native American storyteller, Willy Whitefeather, 'Hope' illustrates the cause and effect of life out of balance, and suggests a new path to harmony. Appealing to a universal audience, 'Hope' is a collage of music, sound and images in a 7 minute story, rich with layers of meaning. 'Hope' combines animation inspired by Pueblo, Sioux and Hopi art, with archival and original HD footage to bring the viewer on a powerful journey through human existence and toward a positive future.
How 87 Learned to Smile
US, 20 minutes, 2005, Sean Paul, director Unable to gain access to a Middle Eastern dictator growing too powerful for comfort, the government creates a clone from the DNA sample of his closest aid. They train the him to be a ruthless killer - without emotion, without pity. But the clone gets a glimpse of the outside world, and something inside him changes. When the government calls on him to kill again, he faces a decision: Obey, or rebel against his creators.
IMAGES and WESTBOUND/EASTBOUND
Canada, 2000 and 2005, 3 minutes/6 minutes, Rohan Bader, director WestboundEastbound is a music video that focuses on peace and togetherness. While sex, violence, and racism continue to pollute our television screens, sending a negative message to growing young children in our undeniably stereotypical image-based society, WEbound is a hip-hop video attempting to try something new, something our mainstream media needs to devote more visual exposure to: Multiculturalism. West - to - East, WE are all human beings.
THE INTERPRETATOR
USA, 2005, 25 minutes, Rex Dean, director Set in the 1950’s, the story is that of a hapless detective, his first client (a mysterious Italian-speaking beauty) and the comedy that ensues when the detective’s best friend offers to act as “interpretator,” even though he speaks no Italian and little English. The adventure takes them to Egypt via Japan and India in this comic romp that pits good against evil.
NO SANCTUARY
US, 10 minutes, 2005, Dan Lovallo, director No Sanctuary is a science fiction story about the physical and emotional distance between our actions and their outcomes in an increasingly technological environment. Set in a school for the 'gifted and talented', brilliant and precocious children are taking a class revolving around playing a simple video game - or so they think. In reality they are an unwitting part of a dangerous experiment...
SMARTCARD
USA, 2005, 15 minutes, James Oxford, director Smartcard is a story about a man who realizes that his perfect automated life is not in his control, but the corporation that created the system. After the discovery, does he have the will left to escape?
TADPOLES
2005, 8 minutes, Miguel Alvarez, director A young boy’s tranquil day in the woods ends suddenly. Curious, he investigates and stumbles upon a clearing guarded by a soldier. The boy’s eyes follow the soldier as he leads a bound captive away – and into a discovery he’ll never forget.
WINGS
USA/Taiwan, 2005, 6 minutes, Pai-Hsin Kuo, director “Wings” is a piece combining different techniques and media, including stop motion animation, 3D animation, and 2-dimensional watercolor painting. It is a fusion of traditional art and latest technology. The story is about the journey of an isolated origami bird, in the context of cultural and humanist values like self discovery and personal realization.
ACEITA EN AGUA
USA, 2005, 26 minutes, Saul Gonzales, director Racial tensions within the same ethnic group are explored through the eyes of Alejandro Portillo. The film includes live accounts of such tensions and proposes a solution. The film features an original music score by Miguel Zavala Duran, and a poetic narration by Eleu Vazquez.
FEMININE BREEZE: ARTS AND FREEDOM IN IRAN
Germany/Iran, 37 minutes, 2005, Antje Beyen, director “Feminine Breeze: Arts and Freedom in Iran” is an independent documentary focusing on how Iranian women artists use their artistic medium for autonomy and self-expression in a society dominated by political Islam. The film features in-depth conversations with six prominent women: poet, photographer, journalist, filmmaker, stage director, and a martial arts instructor. At the beginning and conclusion of each episode we get glimpses of every day life in various cities in Iran -- Tehran, Isfahan, and Mashad -- providing visual background to the narrative on the female artists in Iran.
GLOBAL WARNING
US, 2003, 4 minutes, Created by Leonardo DiCaprio, Leila Conners Petersen, and Nadia Conners Narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio One of the most important issues facing all of humanity is global warming, or climate change. This short film explains why and examines some practical ways to take action. Sponsored by Tree Media Group, Global Green USA, and The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation
Kilowatt ours
US, 38 minutes, 2005, Jeff Barrie, Director 'Kilowatt Ours' follows electricity from our light switches to its sources, exposing the ongoing environmental catastrophes facing America today. The seemingly harmless act of powering up contributes to disappearing mountain tops in West Virginia, disappearing views in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, global climate change, and a worsening epidemic of childhood asthma. But the message isn't all gloom and doom. 'Kilowatt Ours' offers a message of hope -- an uplifting recipe for saving the planet. The second half of the film follows filmmaker Jeff Barrie on his search for a guilt-free way of life in America's energy intensive society. He visits success stories offering proof that our lives, economy, environment, and pocketbooks will benefit tremendously by transforming America into a clean energy nation.
MATISYAHU
USA, 2005, 11 minutes, David Baugnon, director The portrait of a Brooklyn based singer, beat boxer and rapper, whose debut album became a top 5 reggae seller in the U.S. The film details his close relationship to religion and music, his conversion to Hasidic Judaism and his mission to awaken spirituality in others through his music.
WATER PLANET
2005, 4 minutes, Created by Leonardo DiCaprio, Leila Conners Petersen, and Nadia Conners Narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio The state of the planet can be determined by the state of its water. This film examines the problems that people all over the world are facing from a lack of access to fresh water, and urges the United Nations to declare water as a human right. Created by Leonardo DiCaprio, Leila Conners Petersen, and Nadia Conners Sponsored by Tree Media Group, Global Green USA, and The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation
The Weight of the World
US, 2005, 28 minutes, Brent Huffman, director In newly opened gyms in downtown Kabul, young men are rebuilding Afghanistan one muscle at a time. They are pumping iron and dreaming of Arnold Schwarzenegger. This is not what you'd expect to find in Afghanistan, a country that is still one of the poorest in the world and remains an unsettled and perilous place after 25 years of war.