Human Rights Film Series
The Human Rights Film Series is a hugely popular, student-led initiative which shows engaging and provocative films that bring challenging human rights issues to life. The context of each film is briefly introduced by a relevant expert while an optional discussion is held after the film. Screenings are organised by a student committee with the support of the Human Rights Law Centre and are free and open to the community.
Films
Films which articulate human rights issues in an engaging and provocative way are selected for screening – we aim to show a wide variety of genres and styles, sometimes including big-budget blockbusters (The Constant Gardener, Shooting Dogs), but more often independently produced films (Fuse, Das Leben der Anderen, In This World) controversial and harrowing documentaries (Taxi to the Dark Side, Darwin’s Nightmare, Leaving Fear Behind) and animated features (Persepolis). The series allows audiences to engage with contemporary human rights issues through a powerful creative medium, one which brings to life the realities of human struggle, exploitation, despair and hope across the world.
Discussion
Each film is introduced by someone with direct experience of the issues it tackles - including academics, experts and activists. After the film, an optional discussion creates a space to engage more closely with the issues raised in the screening.
Where and When
It’s rare to see many of these films on the big screen in the UK, so make sure you don’t miss out! The Film Series runs during semester time, showing an average of one film every two weeks in an appropriate lecture theatre – usually in Room B63 Law and Social Sciences Building - please check the HRLC website Events page for details of upcoming films, timings and screening location.
Alternatively, to find out more about the film series, or make suggestions for future screenings, you can email hrfilmseries@nottingham.ac.uk.
Autumn 2011
Kicking It (2008)
Homelessness is the most visible human rights issue in the UK and in many other countries worldwide. Kicking It is a documentary that looks at what happens when the homeless grab the ball and get in the game at the Homeless World Cup. From shattering misconceptions about the homeless, to seeing people living at the edge of society, you will discover that they can also be winners. Sport can and does change lives.
Made in Dagenham (2010)
In 1968 the women at the Ford auto plant in Dagenham go on strike. As sewing machine operators making covers for car seats, their jobs have been reclassified from semi-skilled to unskilled. But this isn't about whether or not they are skilled. They are getting paid less because they are women. They team up and fight effectively for a principle which is now a fundamental right of workers: equal pay for equal work. Their action led to the Equal Pay Act 1970.
The Sea Inside (2004)
The true story of Ramon Sempedro who became a quadriplegic in a diving accident at the age of 25 and who fought for his right to an assisted suicide for the next 29 years. In the Spanish courts and even in the European Commission on Human Rights in Strasbourg he argued that suicide was a right he was being denied and he sought legal advice concerning his right to receive assistance to end his life.
Blood in the Mobile (2010)
This documentary explains how the illegal mining of minerals in the Democratic Republic of Congo which are key components in mobile phones has contributed to the cycle of violence in that country. The conflict has claimed more than 5 million lives over 20 years and 300,000 women have also been raped during that time.
Previous Films' Catalogue
Please explore below for details of previous film showings, expert speakers and links to reviews and relevant websites.
Spring 2011
Occupation 101 (2006)
This documentary explores the human rights deficit experienced by all sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, examing its consequences and causes, the realities of occupation for Palestinians and the day-to-day security threats to Israeli citizens. The film details the major obstacles standing in the way of a viable peace, whilst presenting the historical roots of the conflict.
Music Within (2007)
A dramatisation of the true story of Richard Pimentel who returns from Vietnam with severely impaired hearing and finds his purpose is not so much to change others' minds about people's disabilities, but rather to change their minds about themselves. Music Within tells the story of his pivotal role in creating the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990), a big step forward in US equality legislation.
Blue Gold (2008)
Water is the source of human survival. Yet water has become a commodity: corporate giants force developing countries to privatise their water supply for profit and corrupt governments exploit water for political gain - at the cost of their own homes.
Blue Gold follows worldwide examples of people fighting for their basic right to water, from court cases and UN Conventions to violent revolutions. Across the globe people are standing up and demanding their right to water.
12 (2007)
Trial by jury forms a central pillar of the right to a fair trial, serving as a check against state power and an inherent guarantee enshrined as a right to be judged by one's peers. 12 is the story of twelve Russian jurors deciding the fate of a Chechen teenager accused of murdering his stepfather. Set against a backdrop of conflict and racism, 12 reveals how principles of justice itself are called into play and the jurors find themselves battling their own prejudices to deliver the verdict.
Moving to Mars (2009)
The Burmese military junta has committed many human rights atrocities against its 47 million citizens, from violently suppressing protests, to causing disappearances, utilising child soldiers and imposing forced labour.
The film follows two refugee Burmese families as they embark on a journey to resettle in Sheffield, supported by members of the Refugee Council's Sheffield Resettlement Team.
Out in the Silence (2009)
This film follows the story of a small American town confronting a firestorm of controversy ignited by a same-sex wedding announcement and the brutal bullying of a gay teenager. This gripping documentary challenges us to re-think our values and helps close the gaps that divide our communities.
Autumn 2010
The Reckoning: The Battle for the International Criminal Court (2009)
Spanning three years and four continents, The Reckoning follows in the footsteps of International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo as he issues arrest warrants for perpetrators of crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide. From booking the Lord’s Resistance Army leaders in Uganda and warlords in the DRC, to taking on the Colombian justice system and challenging the UN Security Council to arrest Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir for genocide in Darfur, Ocampo and his team have waged an endless crusade for justice. By combining these gripping stories with glimpses of the ICC in its initial stages of development, The Reckoning proves to be a riveting watch that has received critical acclaim worldwide and a ranking of 7.5 on IMD
Osama (2003)
One of the first films to be shot completely in Afghanistan since the 1996 Taliban ban on film production, Osama (2003) explores how the oppressive regime steamrollered women’s rights in name of preserving religious and social mores. After the regime bans women from working and forbids them from leaving their homes without a male escort, a 12-year-old girl and her mother find themselves on the brink of starvation. With nowhere left to turn, the mother disguises her daughter as a boy.
Using this central narrative, which, according to director Siddiq Barmak, is inspired by a girl he once met who disguised herself in order to go to school, Osama shines a light into society under the Taliban, exploring the trampling of women's rights and the persecution and subjugation of women. From this central theme, the film presents an exposé of how the denial of women's rights not only effects women, but also creates a climate of fear for their families and children.The film illustrates that in 2010 despite the overthrow of the Taliban regime, women in many areas of Afghanistan and indeed the rest of the world are still faced with discrimination and inequality on a daily basis.
Rendition (2007)
The covert underbelly of the War on Terror often hides horrendous human rights abuses behind the official guise of Rendition. When Egyptian-born Anwar El-Ibrahimi returns home to Chicago from a conference in South Africa, he is detained and transported to a secret detention facility, where he is interrogated and tortured under the observation of American officials.
Based on the true story of Khalid El-Masri, Rendition presents us with the consequences of extraordinary rendition – not only for the individual subjected to inhuman treatment, but also the atmosphere of uncertainty and fear created for the families of the disappeared.
Bomb Harvest (2007)
Laos: the most bombed country, per capita, in history. During the Vietnam war, 260 million American bombs rained down upon the country. Many still remain, unexploded and lethal.
Bomb Harvest follows bomb disposal specialist Laith Stevens, as he trains a team to dispose of a live bomb found unexploded beneath a rural school. The situation is only worsened by Laos' poverty, which has triggered a deadly illegal market for bomb metal - with children the primary bomb scavengers. This vivid portrayal of the aftermath of war presents the difficulties of enjoying human rights in a post-conflict society, where life is often gambled away over a scrap of metal.
Summer 2010 Human Rights Film Festival - Human Rights in the UK
HRLC ran its third Human Rights Film Festival, in collaboration with Broadway Media Centre in Nottingham, in July 2010. The Festival highlighted current human rights issues that interest the UK.
HRLC ran its third Human Rights Film Festival, in collaboration with Broadway Media Centre in Nottingham, in July 2010. The Festival highlighted current human rights issues that interest the UK.
Erasing David
We live in one of the most intrusive surveillance states in the world. David Bond decides to find out how much private companies and the government know about him by putting himself under surveillance and attempting to disappear. Leaving his family he is tracked across the database state by two ruthless private investigators, forcing him to contemplate the meaning of privacy - and the loss of it.
Intro and Q & A with Director David Bond
Starsuckers
From Chris Atkins, the director of Taking Liberties, Starsuckers is a fascinating journey into the dark underbelly of modern media, uncovering the real reasons for our addiction to fame and blowing the lid on the corporations and individuals who profit from it. This film begs the question: is the media in the UK exploiting its right to free speech?
Intro and Q & A with Director Chris Atkins
Jean Charles
Five years after the fatal shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes, this sensitively-handled drama looks beyond the headlines to paint a portrait of the man as well as the climate of fear which gripped London in the summer of 2005. The police's readiness to shoot relates to an unease felt across the UK towards immigrants due to terrorism, but this should not justify any risk to a person's right to life.
Intro and Q & A with Director Henrique Goldman
Black Gold (2008)
Multinational coffee companies have ensured that coffee is second only to oil as a trading commodity. However, the price paid to coffee farmers remains so low that many have been forced to abandon their coffee fields. Tadesse Meskela is one man on a mission to save his 74,000 struggling coffee farmers from bankruptcy. Set against the backdrop of Tadesse's journey to London and Seattle, the enormous power of the multinational players who dominate the world's coffee trade becomes apparent.
This film was shown in support of Fairtrade Fortnight.
Burma VJ (2008)
When Buddhist monks lead a massive but peaceful uprising against the Burmese military regime in late 2007, courageous young citizens armed with small handycams document the human rights abuses around them during the regime's crackdown. Though risking torture and a life in jail, the video journalists (VJs) smuggle their tapes out of the country to foreign news agencies. Via satellite, the images are broadcast back to Burma. It is the VJs' footage that makes the international community a witness of ongoing human rights violations and keeps the revolution alive on TV screens all over the world.
Outside the Law: Stories from Guantanamo (2009)
Outside the Law: Stories from Guantánamo tells the story of Guantánamo, and includes sections on “extraordinary rendition” and secret prisons, explaining how the Bush administration turned its back on domestic and international laws, how prisoners were rounded up in Afghanistan and Pakistan without adequate screening, often for bounty payments, and why some of these men may have been in Afghanistan or Pakistan for reasons unconnected with militancy or terrorism as missionaries or humanitarian aid workers, for example.
This is England (2006)
Director Shane Meadows' critically acclaimed, locally shot drama focuses on the initiation of 12 year old Shaun into the world of skinheads and mods. The film is set in 1983 and examines the concept of being British in relation to the rise of the British National Party.
Sling-Shot Hip Hop (2008)
Sling-Shot Hip Hop braids together the stories of young Palestinians living in Gaza, the West Bank and inside Israel as they discover Hip Hop and employ it as a tool to surmount divisions imposed by occupation and poverty. From internal checkpoints and Separation Walls to gender norms and generational differences, this is the story of young people crossing the borders which separate them
Iran (Is Not the Problem) (2008)
A feature-length film focusing on the struggle for democracy in Iran.
Invisible Children (2006)
In the spring of 2003, three young filmmakers travelled to Africa in search of a story. What started out as as filmmaking adventure transformed into much more when these boys from Southern California discovered the untold tragedy of Uganda. After returning to the United States they created the documentary 'Invisible Children: Rough Cut', a film that exposes the tragic realities of northern Uganda's night commuters and child soldiers.
Crude (2009)
Crude is an inside look at the infamous $27 billion 'Amazon Chernobyl' case. Crude is a real life high stakes legal drama set against a backdrop of the environmental movement, global politics, celebrity activism, human rights advocacy, the media, multinational corporate power and rapidly-disappearing indigenous cultures.
Trade (2007)
Trade is the story of a Mexican teenager and her kidnapping for the sex trafficking trade between the US and Mexico. Her brother and an ex-cop set out in pursuit, uncovering sex trade 'tunnels' and internet slave auctions. The film is a glimpse into a brutal underworld from which few victims ever return.
XXY (2007)
This 2007 Argentinian film tells the story of a teenage intersex person, the way her family copes with the condition and the ultimate decision that she must make as she explores her sexuality.
Jean Charles (2008)
This film recounts the tragic saga of Jean Charles de Menezes, a young Brazilian immigrant shot dead in London by London police who mistook him for a terrorist, in the wake of the July 2005 underground and bus bombings.
Gadjo Dilo (1997)
Director Tony Gatlif’s award-winning film follows the journey of a young French man to a small Romani community on the outskirts of a Romanian village. The film reveals the rich world of custom and musical culture belonging to the least integrated and the most persecuted people of Europe.
Read the Imdb review
In Prison My Whole Life(2008)
Winner of ‘Best film’ at the 2008 Geneva International Film Festival on Human Rights, In Prison My Whole Life examines the controversial case of Mumia Abu-Jamal, a former Black Panther Party activist who has been in prison for murder in the United States since 1981. Mumia has always maintained his innocence and is now one of the most famous and controversial convicts of the 3,350 people currently on Death Row.
Introduced by: Professor Dirk van Zyl Smit.
See the dedicated website: http://www.inprisonmywholelife.com/
An Independent Mind (2008)
How does a cartoonist confront the threat of imprisonment for caricaturing the president? How does a musician deal with exile for performing a song? How does a poet endure the impact of being tortured? This feature-length documentary by Bafta award-winning director Rex Bloomstein features eight characters attempting to exercise their right to freely express themselves.
This film was screened as part of the Freedom of Expression festival.
Introduced by: Rex Bloomstein, film Director
For more information see English Pen
A Jihad for Love (2007)
The world’s first documentary film on the coexistence of Islam and homosexuality was filmed over 5 years, in 12 countries and 9 languages and comes from the heart of Islam. Looking beyond a hostile and war-torn present, this film seeks to reclaim the Islamic concept of greater Jihad, which can mean ‘an inner struggle’ or ‘to strive in the path of God’.
This film was screened as part of the Freedom of Expression Festival.
Introduced by: Imam Mushin Hendricks, film protagonist and Director of The Inner Circle.
Read the Imdb review
Leaving Fear Behind (2008)
Leaving Fear Behind is an exceptional film made by Tibetans inside Tibet who took great risk to document the views of Tibetans living under Chinese occupation. Defying all odds, their stories of courage, determination and hardship were smuggled out of Tibet on the eve of the historic uprising that spread across the Tibetan plateau this past spring. Dhondup Wangchen, the filmmaker was arrested in Tibet in March 2008 and remains in prison.
This film was screened as part of the Freedom of Expression Festival
Q&A with: Tibetan activist Dechen Pemba
For more information see the dedicated website: http://www.leavingfearbehind.com/
Invisible Children (2006)
In the spring of 2003, three young Americans travelled to Africa and found a tragedy that disgusted and inspired them; a story where children are weapons and children are the victims. The film exposes the effects of a 20 year-long war on the children of Northern Uganda.
Introduced by: Professor Dino Kritsiotis and representatives of Invisible Children.
For more information see the dedicated website: http://www.invisiblechildren.com/home.php
Lilya 4 Ever (2002)
From acclaimed director Lukas Moodysson Lilya Forever is an unremittingly brutal and realistic story which examines the issues of human trafficking and sexual slavery. In the former Soviet Union, sixteen year old Lilya is on her way to a better life in when she is abandoned and left to fend for herself. In order to survive, Lilya becomes a prostitute.
Read the Imdb review
Peace, Propaganda & the Promised Land (2004)
The film provides a striking comparison of U.S. and international media coverage of the crisis in the Middle East, zeroing in on how structural distortions in U.S. coverage have reinforced false perceptions of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. At its core, the documentary raises questions about the ethics and role of journalism, and the relationship between media and politics.
Introduced by: Hugh Goddard, Professor of Christian-Muslim Relations at the University of Nottingham.
Donations collected for: Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP).
Read the Imdb review
The Devil Came on Horseback (2007)
To celebrate the Sixtieth Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) and the Tenth Anniversary of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders (1998), the Human Rights Film Series presented a documentary made by modern-day defenders of human rights to expose repression and injustice and support victims of human rights abuses.
This is an extraordinarily powerful and original film that exposes the tragedy taking place in Darfur as seen through the eyes of an American witness who has since returned to the US to take action to stop it. Using the exclusive photographs and first hand testimony of former U.S. Marine Captain Brian Steidle, The Devil Came on Horseback takes the viewer on an emotionally charged journey into the heart of Darfur, Sudan, where an Arab run government is systematically executing a plan to rid the province of its black African citizens.
Introduced by: Gelek Namgyal, Human Rights Defender Fellow.
The Lives of Others (Das Leben der Anderen)(2007)
Winner of the 2007 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, The Lives of Others is at once a political thriller and human drama that documents the effect of government surveillance in East Berlin. The film traces the gradual disillusionment of a highly skilled officer who works for the Stasi, East Germany's all-powerful secret police which operated a ruthless system of control and surveillance.
Read the Imdb review
Taxi to the Dark Side (2007)
Winner of the 2007 Academy Award for Documentary Feature, Alex Gibney's Taxi to the Dark Side is a shocking documentary about the Bush administration's use of torture when dealing with political prisoners, with a particular focus on those captured in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Read the Imdb review
Persepolis (2007)
Nominated for the 2008 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film, Persepolis is the poignant coming-of-age story of a precocious and outspoken young Iranian girl that begins during the Islamic Revolution. The film is an electrifying, heartfelt, and original portrait of a spunky girl who surmounts countless obstacles to grow into a wise young adult.
Read the Imdb review
4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days (2007)
Winner of the Palme d'Or at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival, this film is a ferociously realistic drama set in Bucharest during the dictatorship of Nicolae Ceaucescu. In a country where abortion is outlawed, a young college student finds herself in big trouble. On the day on which the film takes place, she and her friend connect with a black market doctor in order to take care of the pregnancy- but, of course, the next 24 hours aren't that simple.
Read the Imdb review
Broadway Cinema, Nottingham, October 2008
HRLC ran its second Human Rights Film Season in collaboration with the Broadway Cinema, inspired by experiences of counter-terrorism strategies.
State of Fear: The Truth About Terrorism
In this documentary, the spectacular beauty of Peru is juxtaposed with the disturbing revelations of that nation's Truth Commission, detailing a 20 year reign of terror.
Speaker: Hicham Yezza, local writer and activist
Read the Imdb review
Standard Operating Procedure
Using the notorious photographs of prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq and interviews with the soldiers directly involved, this documentary takes the viewer to an uneasy place where the distinction between 'Standard Operating Procedures' and 'Criminal Acts' become shrouded in ambiguity.
Introduced by: Professor Alex Danchev, School of Politics and International Relations, University of Nottingham
Read the Imdb review
The Edge of Heaven (Auf der Anderen Seite)
A multi-layered drama, The Edge of Heaven moves between Germany and Turkey, and captures the ways that a globalised world can break our hearts and repair them too.
Introduced by: Dr Alexander Vasudevan, lecturer in Cultural and Historical Geography, University of Nottingham
Read the Imdb review
Elite Squad (Tropa de Elita)
José Padilha's high octane thriller follows the captain of an elite military-style squad that fights police corruption and drug trafficking in Rio's favelas.
Introduced by: Dr Else Vieira, Professor of Brazilian and Comparative Latin American Studies, Queen Mary College, University of London
Read the Imdb review
Darwin's Nightmare (2004)
The white fillets of the Nile Perch are today exported all around the world. Huge hulking ex-Soviet cargo planes come daily to collect the latest catch in exchange for their cargo Kalashnikovs and ammunitions for the uncounted wars in the centre of the continent. This booming multinational industry has created an ungodly globalized alliance: an army of local fishermen, World Bank agents, homeless children, African ministers, EU-commissioners, Tanzanian prostitutes and Russian pilots.
Read the Imdb review
War Photographer (2001)
James Nachtwey, considered by many the greatest war photographer ever, has been up close for twenty years. Over this time he hasn't missed a single war. For War Photographer, which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, Christian Frei followed Nachtwey for two years into the wars in Indonesia, Kosovo, and Palestine, as well as to other troubled areas around the world, going so far as to attach a microchip camera to Nachtwey's lens.
Introduced by: Professor Alex Danchev (School of Politics).
Read the Imdb review
Windhorse (1998)
Windhorse is based on actual events in contemporary Tibet - the repression of the Tibetan Buddhist religion by forbidding the display of photographs of Tibet's religious leader; the denial of Tibetan political freedoms, such as free speech; and the imprisonment and torture of Tibetans for political reasons. It tells the urgent story of an aspiring Tibetan pop singer who wins favour with the Chinese government of occupied Tibet, but faces a crisis of conscience when her cousin is imprisoned and tortured for her religious beliefs.
Introduced by Emilie Hunter, Research and Programmes Coordinator of the Human Rights Law Centre.
See the dedicated website:
http://www.windhorsemovie.com/aboutTibet/politics.php
Broadway Cinema, Nottingham, March 2008
Following its on-campus success HRLC joined with the award winning Broadway Cinema in Nottingham city centre to produce an exciting season of award winning films, highlighting contemporary human rights issues of national and international importance, The films were introduced by expert speakers, from backgrounds that range from the film industry to the field of international law, giving the broader public a chance to engage with, and develop an awareness of, current human rights challenges.
Taking Liberties (2007)
Taking Liberties is a shocking but hilarious documentary that charts the destruction of some of our basic liberties in the last 10 years with contributions from Tony Benn, Boris Johnson and Mark Thomas. Screened in association with the Centre for the Study of Social and Global Justice (CSSGJ) at the University of Nottingham.
Introduced by: Chris Atkins, Director.
Read the Imdb review
Drowned Out (2002)
Screened to coincide with the Annual Student Conference on 'International Human Rights and the Environment', this documentary follows a Supreme Court case against the building of the Narmada Dam.
Introduced by: Mr. M.C. Mehta, Indian Supreme Court Advocate.
More information: http://www.bullfrogfilms.com/catalog/dout.html
The Devil Came on Horseback (2007)
This is an extraordinarily powerful and original film that exposes the tragedy taking place in Darfur as seen through the eyes of an American witness who has since returned to the US to take action to stop it. Using the exclusive photographs and first hand testimony of former U.S. Marine Captain Brian Steidle, The Devil Came on Horseback takes the viewer on an emotionally charged journey into the heart of Darfur, Sudan, where an Arab run government is systematically executing a plan to rid the province of its black African citizens.
Introduced by: Dr. James Smith, Chief Exec of Aegis Trust.
See the dedicated website: http://www.thedevilcameonhorseback.com/
In This World (2002)
Winner of the Golden Bear, the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury and the Peace Film Prize at the 2003 Berlin International Film Festival, Michael Winterbottom's In This World tells the story of two Afghan cousins who embark on a refugee's clandestine odyssey from Pakistan to London.
Read the Imdb review
Introduced by: Deirdre Sheahan, refugee law practitioner from Paragon Law.
Fuse (2003)
Set in the immediate aftermath of the Bosnian civil war, this engaging, sharp, critically acclaimed comedy takes place in a small town where corruption is rampant, women are trafficked into Serbia, but there's a sort of peace. Things are thrown into a frenzy by the news that American President Bill Clinton may be planning a visit to see the new harmony...
Introduced by: Professor Michael O'Flaherty, Co-Director of the Human Rights Law Centre.
Read the Imdb review
Bus 174 (2002)
Bus 174 follows the actual hijack of a bus in Rio de Janeiro, which was broadcast live for 4 and a half hours on Brazilian TV, bringing the country to a standstill. It was voted 'one of the ten best films of the year' by The New York Times and has won over 23 prizes worldwide, including an Emmy Award for Outstanding Cultural and Artistic Programming in 2005.
Read the Imdb review
Grbavica: The Land Of My Dreams (2005), part of the International Criminal Justice Week
Winner of the top prize at the Berlin Film Festival, this dramatic Sarajevo-set drama highlights the plight of women in post-conflict and contemporary Bosnia through the story of Esma, a hard-working single mother haunted by events from her past. Grbavica is a gripping love story between a mother and daughter struggling against prejudice and poverty.
Introduced by international criminal justice expert Dr Olympia Bekou, lecturer at the School of Law, University of Nottingham.
Read the Imdb review
In This World (2002)
Winner of the Golden Bear, the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury and the Peace Film Prize at the 2003 Berlin International Film Festival, Michael Winterbottom's In This World tells the story of two Afghan cousins who embark on a refugee's clandestine odyssey from Pakistan to London.
Introduced by: Human rights lawyer and practioner Deirdre Sheahan (Paragon Law)
Read the Imdb review
Paradise Now (2005)
Set in Nablus, on the West Bank, the film follows two childhood friends who have experienced living under another nation's rule for the whole of their lives. They feel oppression and humiliation and consider themselves prisoners in their own land. As soon as a friend presents to them an opportunity to avenge their way of life, the filmmaker follows their steps as they prepare themselves for their final act of resistance, a suicide mission in Tel-Aviv. It was the first Palestinian film to be nominated for an Oscar, controversially humanising the plight of Palestinian suicide bombers.
Introduced by: Dr Daniel Moeckli
Read the Imdb review
Shooting Dogs (2005)
Introduced by: International criminal law expert, Dr Robert Cryer.
The Constant Gardener (2005)
Introduced by: Human rights expert, Professor Robert McCorquodale
No Man's Land (2001)
Introduced by: Human rights expert, Professor Michael O'Flaherty, who established the first UN human rights field operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Some Mother's Son (1996)
Introduced by: Comparative and international penal expert, Professor Dirk Van Zyl Smit
Lilya 4 Ever (2002)
Introduced by: Refugee law expert, Ms Alice Edwards
The Road to Guantanamo (2006)
Introduced by: International law expert, Mr Dino Kritsiotis