The Birth of a Human Rights Movement in Africa

Rated: PG-13
Director: Kenny Mann                Producer: Kenny Mann
Length: 39 min
Documentary
Senegal, USA

Friday: 12:00pm – Hendricks Art Center 1  
Saturday: 2:30pm – Angel Museum  
Sunday: 12:00pm – La Casa Grande  

Website: Rafiki Productions

The Birth of a Human Rights Movement in Africa documents the extraordinary impact of human rights education in Senegal, where an NGO called Tostan helps people come to their own understanding of human rights and democracy. Ancient customs, such as female genital cutting and forced early marriage, are re-examined and communities decide on which traditions they wish to keep and which no longer serve them in the modern world and should be abandoned.

Entire communities eagerly tackle health and hygiene, environmental concerns, registration for birth certificates, girls education and many other issues as Tostans method of organized diffusion spreads the human rights movement throughout the country and across its borders. Understanding the human right to a life free from discrimination leads to the break-down of cultural barriers between ethnic groups, thus opening up new arenas for cooperation, intermarriage and prosperity.

Program participants tell their stories. Ouriye Sale, who formerly performed female genital cutting on thousands of girls, is now its foremost opponent and will not allow her granddaughter to be cut. Imam Dembe Diwarra walks hundreds of miles from village to village to let people know that female genital cutting is not a law of the Q’uran.

Punctuated by the songs of a griot (oral historian), the film pulses to the dramatic beat of traditional music and dance. Whisked from the placid villages of the Casamance to the harsh desert of the Fouta and the teeming streets of Dakar, viewers become eye-witnesses to the empowerment of people through human rights education.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvAONfUmQKY

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Rated: G
Director: Shana Gilbert           Producer: Shana Gilbert
Length: 77 min
Documentary
Rwanda, Uganda, USA

Thursday: 5:00pm – Angel Museum  
Friday: 5:00pm – La Casa Grande  
Saturday: 10:00pm – Angel Museum  

Website:  Mzungu Movie

MZUNGU is not just another Social Justice Documentary. You know the kind — filmed in Africa to pull on the heart-strings of the 1st World to send their money and cry-a-tear. No. Finally, there exists a global issues film that shows more than the flies-on-the-face and the hopelessness in the world.

Mzungu IS the rest of the story. What happens after the filmmakers and the characters go home? This story begins with four average, middle-class American college kids — all a bit unsatisfied with post-9/11, and being handed the American Dream with little to no effort on their part. Together they set-out to ‘save-the-world’, and rather end up uniting an entire community of friends working together for change.

Shana Marie Gilbert, Producer/Director, witnessed American youth culture flooding to Africa and making a mess of it. But what if there was a better way? What if it was possible to actually Help people? Her journey to find this answer became the story Mzungu. The power of this film lies in the question it forces us to ask ourselves: …is Love the answer?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o42j8luREVw

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Rated: PG-13
Director: Jim Rivett
Length: 77 min.
Documentary
USA

Friday: 7:30pm – The Metropolitan  
Saturday: 5:00pm – Rotary River Center  

Website: Westbound

A candid portrait of 96-year-old Adolph Vandertie, Grand Duke of the Hobos, and his final confessions of a life filled with joy, heartache, and addiction. Sweeping through the Great Depression, Westbound chronicles America’s downfall and return to being the strongest nation in the world. An iconic tale, Adolph struggles to achieve personal redemption by creating an astonishing collection of 4,000 hobo whimsies and tramp art carvings. This simple act of whittling found objects becomes a beacon of hope for one man while capturing the true spirit of America.

“Westbound is atmospheric. It sweeps through a man’s lifetime of want, wandering, woes and reluctantly accepted worth…a compelling documentary film.”
– Warren Gerds, Critic at Large, Gannett

“Westbound is rife with fascinating details about obscure folk art forms… (Adolph) Vandertie’s story and his body of work are compelling.”
– Noel Murray, The Onion A.V. Club

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhnl6etFM1M

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Rated: PG
Director: Koji Masutani Producer: Koji Masutani
Length: 80 min
Documentary
USA

Thursday: 5:00pm – The Metropolitan  
Friday: 7:30pm – Bushel & Peck’s  
Saturday: 2:30pm – Beloit Library  

Website: Virtual JFK

In the era of nuclear confrontation, John F. Kennedy attempted to prevent war six times during his short tenure as president. He didn’t live to face a seventh. Virtual JFK: Vietnam If Kennedy Had Lived takes up one of America’s controversial “what if” scenarios, examining that question: Would the U.S. have escalated the war in Vietnam if Kennedy was not assassinated in 1963?

With insight and erudition, the film traces JFK presidency a 1,000-day term plagued with tense political stand-offs through rare and previously-unseen archival footage, offering nuanced accounts of the former president political decisions and, by extension, his probable response to the escalating conflict in Vietnam. Featuring unprecedented access into the leadership style of one of the nations most important leaders, Virtual JFK sheds new light on the man who helped avoid war in six crises and did not live to save America from the devastating war in Vietnam.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTouM6h5mRI

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Rated: G
Director: Bryan Law            Producers: Bryan Law & Dan Dicks
Length: 124 min.
Documentary
Canada, Mexico, USA

Thursday: 5:00pm – Hendricks Art Center 1  
Friday: 2:30pm – The Metropolitan  

Website: Press for Truth

A film by Bryan Law and Dan Dicks United We Fall is a documentary about the North American Union that is being developed right now between Canada, the United States, and Mexico. For years this topic has been debated in the news and in political circles as being a possible future for North America.

In recent years, the mood has shifted and a rift is developing between those who want a Deeply Integrated North American Community, and those who wish to retain their national sovereignty. This film takes a look at both sides by interviewing both insiders and activists who have been at the heart of this heated debate.

The film also looks to the broader agenda of building a world government and its implications. Featured Interviews: Robert Pastor (Council on Foreign Relations), Allan Gotlieb (Trilateral Commission, Bilderberg), Herbert Grubel (Creator of the “Amero”), Luke Rudkowski (We Are Change), Dan Dicks (Press For Truth), Vijay Sarma (Political Activist, Independent Journalist), Dr. Andrew Moulden (Canadian Action Party), Richard Syrett (Talk Radio Host).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geM4DbAG7NI

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Rated: G
Director: Claude Green Producer: Claude Green
Length: 63
Documentary
United Kingdom

Friday:  7:30pm – Hendricks Art Center 1    
Saturday: 12:00pm – Hendricks Art Center 1  
Sunday: 12:00pm – Hendricks Art Center 1  

Before the expenses scandal blew up in which British Members of Parliament (MP) replaced investment bankers as hate figures in the eyes of the public, a liberal democrat MP, Ed Davey, agreed to take part in a documentary that would explore the question of what an MP actually does.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTmTuFiSJRM

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Rated: PG13
Director:Christopher Metzler, Lev Anderson
Producer:Christopher Metzler, Lev Anderson
Length: 103 min
Drama
USA

Friday: 10:00pm – Beloit Library  
Saturday: 2:30pm – Hendricks Art Center 2  

Website:  Fishbone Documentary

From the shifting faultlines of Hollywood fantasies and the economic and racial tensions of Reagan’s America, Fishbone rose to become one of the most original bands of the last 25 years. With a blistering combination of punk and funk they demolished the walls of genre and challenged the racial stereotypes and political order of the music industry and the nation. Telling it like it is, the iconic Laurence Fishburne narrates EVERYDAY SUNSHINE, a story about music, history, fear, courage and funking on the one.

At the heart of the film’s story is lead singer Angelo Moore and bassist Norwood Fisher, who show how they keep the band rolling out of pride, desperation and love for their art. To overcome money woes, family strife, and the strain of being aging punk rockers on the road, Norwood and Angelo are challenged to re-invent themselves in the face of dysfunction and ghosts from a painful past.

Featuring interviews with Flea, Gwen Stefani, Ice-T, Perry Farrell, Branford Marsalis, George Clinton, Tim Robbins, Gogol Bordello, Questlove, and others, EVERYDAY SUNSHINE traces the band’s history, influence, and struggle as individualistic, genre-blending artists up against an unforgiving music industry that threatens to pass them by.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Y4DnLKqpAo

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Rated: G
Director: Bertram Verhaag         Producer: Claus Stigel
Length: 88 min
Documentary
Germany, USA

Friday: 5:00pm – Hendricks Art Center 1  
Sunday: 2:30pm – Hendricks Art Center 2 

Billed as “a political thriller on GMOs and freedom of speech”, this film by the German film-maker Bertram Verhaag tells the stories of two scientists, Dr Arpad Pusztai and Dr Ignacio Chapela, whose research showed negative findings on GM foods and crops. Both suffered the fate of those who challenge the powerful vested interests that dominate agribusiness and scientific research. They were vilified and intimidated, attempts were made to suppress and discredit their research, and their careers were derailed.

Pusztai found that the internal organs of rats fed GM insecticidal potatoes either increased in size or did not develop properly compared with controls. His experiments turned up no less than 36 significant differences between GM-fed and non-GM-fed animals. Pusztai, encouraged by his research institute, gave a 150-second interview on British TV in which he summarised his findings and said it was unfair to use our fellow citizens as guinea pigs for GM foods.

~GMWatch

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADNE1B2Rl5Y

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Rated: PG-13
Director: Willem Alkema         Producer: Willem Alkema
Length: 74 min
Documentary
Netherlands, USA

Thursday: 5:00pm – Beloit Library  
Saturday: 7:30pm – La Casa Grande  

Website: Sly Stone Documentary

Documentary about Sly Stone. The funklegend disappeared for years. In this documentary Willem Alkema finds him and takes writers Edwin and Arno Konings to their hero. Sly has been followed in his return to stage!

“The only film on Sly you’ll ever see — anywhere. A wonderful documentary with a jaw-dropping ending.” Brad Abramson, Vice President VH1, US

“This is an excellent film”
Alexander King Programme Manager Leeds International Filmfestival, UK

“I watched the Sly doc and was blown away!”
Stephen Paley former A&R Manager Sony, US

“I don’t know how Willem did it, but he did it!”
Dan Anderson, Hot Springs Documentary Filmfestival, US

“More than a biographical movie, more than a detective movie: “Coming Back For More” is Alkema’s journey searching for truth. Dive into the life of Sly Stone, a man who changed music with creativity and tolerance. Following his dream, Alkema’s passion takes him as far as one can go”
Fabrizio Poli, IT: www.soulandjazz.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txRuUJP0rFk

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