Saturday, November 27, 2010

Interview with Ammar Basha: Director of "Breaking The Silence"




لماذا هذا الاسم خصيصا  للفيلم؟
عنوان الفيلم كسر الصمت تم اختياره لان مواضيع مثل هذه يتم التستر عليها بل هناك محاولات لإخفاءها من قبل الدوله والمجتمع ، شفافية و صدق هذا العمل الوثائقي هو فعلا كسر للصمت وفضح لانتهاكات دائمة ومستمرة منذ مئات السنين.

ما هي التقنيات والتكنولوجيات الخاصة التي استخدمتها في هذا الفيلم؟
اعتمد هذا العمل على اسلوب المناصرة من اجل التغيير اما عن التكنولوجيا فلم تتجاوز رجل واحد مع كاميرا واحده.

كيف توصلت للفكرة الرئيسية للفيلم؟
الجانب الاهم كان في اخذ اكثر من رآي حول كيفية سرد القصص المسجلة. والتي كان لها دور كبير في نجاح العمل , هناك احداث يشيب لها الراس لكن تم الاخذ بعين الاعتبار هدف التغيير الذي وجب علينا عدم اثارة العداء مع الدولة والقبائل 

ما هي الرسالة التي أردت تقديمها في هذا الفيلم؟
شخصيا  اردت ان اقول بان هؤلاء هم بشر مثلنا و يمنيون مثلي، وانه لمن العار ان نكون شعوب تدعي انها مسلمة و فينا اناس يتعرضون لشتى انواع الظلم والقهر والعبودية.

هل هذه هي المرة الأولى التي تشارك في هذا المهرجان؟
نعم وبصراحة انا متفاجئ فليس لدي علم مسبق بهذا المهرجان لكني سعيد لان قضية الاخدام في اليمن لازالت قائمة ولن تنتهي الا باهتمام واسع وظغوط على الدولة لسن قوانين تحرم العنصرية وتعاقب مرتكبيها.

هل شارك الفيلم  في مهرجانات دولية أخرى؟
تم عرض الفيلم في الكثير من الفعاليات الحقوقية في الوطن العربي لكن هذه المرة الاولى التي سيشارك فيها بمهرجان. 

لماذا تشارك في مهرجان القاهرة السينمائي الإنسان حقوق؟ ولماذا خصيصا مصر؟
انا اتمنى ان تصل هذة القضية لكل من لدية القدرة في التآثير على الحكومة والبرلمان اليمني من اجل اصدار قوانين تساعد وتناصر هذه المجموعه من اليمنيين المهمشين  ولان مصر هي محور للاعلام العربي فنجاح هذا الفيلم في المهرجان سيكون له صدى يصل للعالم وربما يتم التغيير المنشود.

ما هي قضية حقوق الإنسان التي  يقدمها الفيلم؟
العنف المضاعف للمراة المهمشة ، يعني ان تكون امراءة في مجتمع ذكوري هذا عنف وان تكون ذات المراءة من ضمن اقلية مهمشة هذا عنف لذلك اطلق عليه العنف المضاعف.

وكيف تم  تقديمها أو التعبير عن هذه الفكرة؟
من خلال شهادات حية لنساء مهمشات يعشن في اجزاء مختلفه في اليمن للاسف مدة الفيلم 12 دقيقة  لذلك تم اختصار العديد من الاحداث التي حكتها هؤولاء النساء.

ما هي العقبات التي واجهتك في  صنع هذا الفيلم؟
العديد من العقبات منها موضوع الفيلم حول النساء وحيث اني رجل كان من الصعب اقناع النساء بالبوح وعمل اللقاءات لكني وفقت بعد عناء شديد، ايضا تصاريح تصوير الفيلم من الحكومة التي رفضت اصدار التصاريح بل كان هناك محاولات لعرقلة مرحلة التصوير لكني غامرت والحمدلله تم العمل بنجاح، ولان هذا  اول عمل اقوم به بطريقة شبه احترافية فلك ان تتخيل المشاكل التقنية التي واجهتها خاصة مع منتج الفيلم الذي تعامل معي كمبتدئ لكن وصلنا معا للصورة التي ظهر بها الفيلم

كيف ترى مشكلة الخدم فى اليمن والتمييز بينهم؟
مأسآة ولابد بل آن الاوان للتغيير. للاسف ليس هناك اي مؤشر لحدوث هذا التغيير

كيف يمكن ادماج الخدم فى المجتمع اليمنى لتحقيق المساواة بينهم وبين المواطنين العاديين وعدم التمييز بينهم ؟
هناك العديد من البحوث والدراسات في هذا الجانب جميعها توصلت لعملية تفريقهم و تسكينهم في حارات مختلفة لان تجمعهم في مكان واحد يجعل هذه الفئة معروفة لكني اود في اصدار قوانين تمنع وتحرم وتعاقب من يقوم بالتمييز فعملية الدمج والتفريق ستاخذ وقتها لكن الظلم والعنصري يحصلان الان.

هل مشكلة الخدم فى اليمن تعود الى الاختلاف العرقي فقط ام الى مستوى الحياه المنخفض؟
لا هذا ولا ذاك  فالغالبيه في اليمن لونهم اسود والغالبيه يعيشون مستوى منخفض، انها تعود للجهل تعود للعصبية الجاهلية تعود للتاريخ المريض باحداث تثير هذه العصبية.


Interview with Ali Gohini: Director of Way to the Unknown



لماذا هذا الاسم خصيصا  للفيلم؟
اختيار الاسم لم يكن بالأمر اليسير , بل كنا فى حاجة ماسة إلى اسم يرتبط ارتباطا وثيقا بالمضمون ومن ثم جاء اختيارنا ل " طريق المجهول " فعندما نظرت سيدى إلى البحر المتوسط ليلا أثناء معاينة مواقع التصوير قبل بدء العمل أصابنى رعب شديد وذهول أشد : فكيف لهؤلاء الشباب الذين يريدون عبور المتوسط بقارب صغير أو متهالك وسط هذه الأمواج (أمواج الموت) وأدركت تماما حينها أن من يرتاد هذا الطريق فحتما هو فى طريق مجهول لا يعلم بنهايته إلا الله سبحانه وتعالى.

ما هي التقنيات والتكنولوجيات الخاصة التي استخدمتها في هذا الفيلم؟
للتليفزيون عامة امكانياته الخاصة به والمعروفة ولكننى استعنت بامكانيات خارجية فى بعض المشاهد , لا سيما فى مشاهد المحاكاة الخطيرة مشهد الغرق أثناء التصوير وكذا المونتاج : فقد استعنت بإمكانيات إضاءة سينما ومعدات تصوير خارجية كالجيمى جيب والشاريوه , وكذلك قمنا بتوظيف واستخدام الجرافيكس فى سيناريو العمل وأيضا لم يتم عمل المونتاج داخل التليفزيون بل استعنت بشركة خارجية متخصصة فى الإنتاج الإعلامى والمونتاج واستعنت بمونتير متميز وعملت على أجهزة ال "فينال كت"  وأخذ السيناريو طابع الديكو دراما وتعمدت أن استخدم هذا الأسلوب حيث أنه الأكثر تأثيرا فى المعالجة على المشاهد لاسيما إذا ما كانت القضية ذات طابع إنسانى .  

كيف توصلت للفكرة الرئيسية للفيلم؟
أثناء مشاهدتى لأحد البرامج التليفزيونية حيث شاهدت واستمعت لقصة أحد الضحايا من الشباب.

ما هي الرسالة التي أردت تقديمها في هذا الفيلم؟
رصد لكل أبعاد القضية الهجرة غير الشرعية والخروج برسالة واحدة  مضمونها واضح: الهجرة غير الشرعية مشكلة خطيرة بل ومريبة وهى ليست مشكلة محلية بل هى مشكلة دولية بكل المقاييس , نحن ضدها تماما ولكن فى الوقت ذاته نقول أنه على حكومات الدول النامية والطاردة لسكانها والفقيرة البحث عن حلول حقيقية لمشاكل شبابها المطحون.

هل هذه هي المرة الأولى التي تشارك في هذا المهرجان؟
نعم هى المرة الأولى

هل شارك الفيلم  في مهرجانات دولية أخرى؟
نعم مثل مهرجان تركيا الدولى للأفلام الوثائقية، مهرجان "أنا ليند" الدولى بموناكو، مهرجان الإعلام العربى للإذاعة والتليفزيون بالقاهرة.

ما هي جوائز الفيلم التي حصل عليها حصل؟
جائزة أنا ليند الذهبية المركز الأول عن مؤسسة أنا ليند الأورومتوسطية وذلك فى حفل ختام المهرجان بموناكو كأفضل عمل وثائقى من إجمالى عدد 160 فيلم.

لماذا تشارك في مهرجان القاهرة السينمائي الإنسان حقوق؟ ولماذا خصيصا مصر؟
لسببين: احترامى لكم ولمضمون مهرجانكم. ثانيا، لأن مضمون الفيلم إنسانى بحت. أما لماذا مصر، لأن هذه القضية من أخطر المشاكل التى تواجه شباب وأبناء وطنى.

ما هي قضية حقوق الإنسان التي  يقدمها الفيلم؟
لا يحق لأى إنسان على سطح الأرض أن يتاجر بإنسان آخر وما يحدث فى الهجرة غير الشرعية هو تجارة صريحة بحياة الإنسان فالتجار هم سماسرة الهجرة غير الشرعية والضحايا هم الشباب. لذلك أطلقت الأمم المتحدة على الهجرة غير الشرعية أنها إحدى إشكال الإتجار بالبشر.

وكيف تم  تقديمها أو التعبير عن هذه الفكرة؟
من خلال فيلم تسجيلى اعتمد على استراتيجيتى: التخويف والعاطفة، بجانب واقعيته الشديدة والمرة أحيانا بل وغالبا من خلال عرضه لكافة أبعاد القضية شمولية المعالجة.

ما هي العقبات التي واجهتك في  صنع هذا الفيلم؟
بعض التصاريح الأمنية والإمكانيات المادية.

ما الدوافع التي تؤدى بالشباب للمخاطرة بحياتهم والهجرة بطريقة غير شرعية؟ 
دافعين ليس لهما ثالث: الفقر والبطالة وكلاهما مرتبط بالآخر وكلاهما يمثل كارثة منفردة فى حد ذاته.

ما تأثير الهجرة الغير شرعية على المجتمع المصري ؟
خلل اجتماعى واقتصادى ( داخل القرية المصرية ) ناهيك عن الخلل الدينى. 

كيف يمكن التغلب على ما يسموا بسماسرة الموت او من ينظمون عمليات الهجرة الغير شرعية ؟
لابد من وجود تشريع قانونى صارم ورادع لهؤلاء السماسرة حيث أننى أود مفاجأتك سيدى حينما تعلم بأنه لا يوجد هناك فى القانون المصرى أى تشريع من أى نوع يجرم هؤلاء الناس حتى الآن.


Interview with Konoungo filmmaker: Mohamed Alyahyai




لماذا هذا الاسم خصيصا  للفيلم؟

عند تسميتنا للفيلم، حاولنا الجمع بين أكثر من عنصر وأكثر من هدف وأكثر من دلالة جميعها ترمي  إلى استقطاب أكبر قدر من الناس لمشاهدة الفيلم والتفاعل معه ومع القضية الإنسانية التي يثير. فمع حضور القضية - قضية لاجئي دافور في العنوان ، كان لابد من حضور المكان بوضوح علاماته كـ"مخيم للمنفى" وغموض اسمه ، بالنسبة للمتلقي المشاهد، " كونونغو". كما كان لابد من حضور الزمان "المنفى" وزمن "المنفى" يختلف كليا عن زمن "الوطن". زمن المنفى ثابت ، متجمد ولكن محتقن بالأمل ومحتشد بالانتظار. من هنا جاء عنوان الفيلم: كونونغو: دارفوريون في مخيم المنفى. وكونونغو هو اسم مكان في صحراء جمهورية تشاد يبعد خمسة وخسمين كيلومترا عن دارفود أقيم عليه المخيم الذي صور فيه الفيلم وسمي المخيم باسمه… والاسم بالنسبة لكثير من المشاهدين غامض ولكنه الغموض المغري بالمشاهدة. والمخيم لم يعد مخيم لاجئين، وإن كان كذلك في تعريفه الرسمي، ولكنه بعد ست سنوات بات مخيم "منفيين" عن وطنهم٫ بعبارة أخرى أصبح "منفى في الصحراء" والمنفى أكثر قسوة، في دلالاته النفسية٫ من اللجوء. اللجوء عبور من مكان إلى آخر، عبور يكون عادة عابرا ومؤقتا، أما المنفى فهو اقتلاع من الجذور وانتهاك للذاكرة وللماضي بمعنييه المادي والثقافي. حاولنا إذن اختزال كل هذه الدلالات التي تضمنتها خمس وأربعون دقيقة هي زمن الفيلم في خمس كلمات هي عنوان هذا الفيلم. 

كيف جاءت الفكرة الرئيسة للفيلم؟

ثمة اهتمام كبير في قناة " الحرة" بقضايا حقوق الإنسان وبالقضايا المسكوت عنها في كثير من وسائل الإعلام الناطقة بالعربية ومن بينها قضية اللاجئين ، ولعل الحرة هي بين أوائل المحطات الفضائية الناطقة باللغة العربية التي لديها برنامج متخصص في قضايا الحريات وحقوق الإنسان هو برنامج "عين على الديموقراطية". أثناء التحضير لواحدة من حلقات برنامج " عين على الديموقراطية" عن انتهاكات حقوق الإنسان في السودان، لا سيما ما يتعرض له لاجئو ونازحو دارفور داخل وخارج السودان من انتهاكات، تنبهنا إلى أن الإعلام الناطق بالعربية يكاد يتجاهل بصورة شبه كاملة الأوضاع الإنسانية لنحو مئتين وخمسين ألف إنسان دارفوري يعيشون في مخيمات للاجئين في صحراء تشاد منذ العام ألفين وثلاثة وفي ظل ظروف معيشية ومناخية بالغة القسوة .. فقررنا القيام بمهمتنا ودورنا في تعريف الناس بهذه القضية الإنسانية ولكن من خلال عمل يوثق الحياة اليومية لهولاء اللاجئين كما هي على الأرض في مخميات المنفى واللجوء في الصحراء التشادية.

ما هي الرسالة التي أردت تقديمها في هذا الفيلم؟
الرسالة التي أردنا تقديمها من خلال "كونونغو: دارفوريون في مخيم المنفى" هي الرسالة التي أراد اللاجئون الدارفوريون أنفسهم تقديمها: هي حقيقة حياتهم في الصحراء التشادية منذ العام ألفين وثلاثة، كيف يعيشون ، كيف يتدبرون حياتهم في مخيم في الصحراء، كيف يتذكرون الوطن والماضي وكيف ينظرون إلى المستقبل، ما هي أحلامهم وتطلعاتهم، كيف يخططون لمستقبل بناتهم وأبنائهم وما هي أحلام وتطلعات الشباب من اللاجئين؟. كانت مهمتنا أن نعطى أولئك اللاجئين مساحة حرة للتعبير عن أفكارهم وآراءهم وأن نفتح لهم نافذة لعرض حياتهم وتحديدا للمشاهدين العرب. رسالة الفيلم هي حقيقة ما يجرى على أرض مخيم في الصحراء .. حقيقة حياة منفيين في الصحراء.. منفيين عن وطن يرونه بأعينهم يتلألأ تحت شمس الصحراء ، وطن لا يبعد بحساب الجغرافيا سوى خمسة وخمسين كيلومترا لكن بينهم وبينه شق القتاد. الرسالة، باختصار، هي الحقيقة دون زيادة ولا نقصان.

هل هذه هي المرة الأولى التي تشارك في هذا المهرجان؟ لماذا تشارك في مهرجان القاهرة السينمائي الإنسان حقوق؟ ولماذا خصيصا مصر؟

نعم هذه هي أول مرة نشارك فيها في مهرجان القاهرة لأفلام حقوق الإنسان. مهرجان القاهرة لأفلام حقوق الإنسان هو أحد أهم الفعاليات السنوية العالمية التي تقام في العالم العربي و التي تعنى بأفلام حقوق الإنسان والمشاركة فيه هي فرصة جيدة للتواصل مع الجمهور المصري والعربي والتواصل مع المعنيين والمهتمين بقضايا حقوق الإنسان من حول العالم، خصوصا بين الصحافيين وصُناع الأفلام، لا سيما وأن المهرجان يتخذ من القاهرة مقرا له بما تمثله القاهرة ومصر من ثقل معرفي وإعلامي في منطقة الشرق الأوسط. 

هل شارك الفيلم  في مهرجانات دولية أخرى؟ ما هي جوائز الفيلم التي حصل عليها حصل؟

الفيلم اختير ضمن القائمة النهائية لأفضل الأعمال في الدورة الأخيرة للاتحاد الدولي للبث التلفزيوني التي انعقدت في العاصمة البريطانية لندن في التاسع من نوفمبر الماضي … كما أن نسخة مختزلة " دقيقية واحدة" من الفيلم وصلت القائمة النهائية لأفضل الأفلام في خانة " الحالة الإنسانية" في الدورة السادسة والأربعين لمهرجان شيكاغو للأفلام في الولايات المتحدة.

ما هي العقبات التي واجهتك في  صنع هذا الفيلم؟

العقبات التي واجهتنا أثناء تصوير وإنتاج الفيلم تركزت في المناخ والأوضاع السياسية والأمنية التي شهدتها جمهورية تشاد أثناء سفرنا إلى الصحراء التشادية صيف عام ألفين وتسعة… إذ تصادف وجودنا مع نشوب معارك بين جماعات مسلحة من المعارضين للحكومة التشادية وبين القوات الحكومية، إضافة إلى تعرض المنطقة الحدودية لهجمات مسلحة مستمرة من قبل اللصوص وقطاع الطرق الذين غالبا ما يعيقون عمل منظمات الإغاثة الإنسانية، فكان الوضع الأمني الخطير هو أحد أهم التحديات التي واجهتنا٫ التحدي الآخر هو محدودية ساعات العمل اليومية للتصوير وإجراء الحوارات مع اللاجئين ، إذ كان علينا التحرك يوميا الساعة التاسعة صباحا ضمن قافلة سيارات الإغاثة الدولية للاستفادة من قوات الأمن التي تصاحب القافلة .. كنا نصل المخيم بين العاشرة والعاشرة والنصف صباحا وكان علينا مغادرة المخيم الساعة الثالثة بعد الظهر … الجو الحار ، الشمس اللاهية في صيف الصحراء كان بين الصعوبات خصوصا للتصوير… واجهنا أيضا تحد في اليوم الأول لدخولنا إلى المخيم .. هذا التحدي كاد يفشل كامل المهمة، إذ للوهلة الأولى لم يثق بنا شيخ المخيم ومن معه من مسئولي المخيم من اللاجئين … والسبب، كما قالوا، لم يتعودوا زيارة صحافيين عرب لهم وكانت خشيتهم أن نكون "متعاملين" مع الحكومة السودانية…. لكننا نجحنا في إقناعهم بصدق نوايانا وأن الهدف نقل الحقيقة كما هي على الأرض.

هل ترى ان وسائل الاعلام تقوم بدورها فى رعاية حقوق الانسان خاصة فى الدول الفقيرة والنامية؟ قناه الحرة وهى من اوائل وسائل الاعلام التي تولى اهتمام بالغ بقضية من قضايا اللاجئين لماذا لا يوجد اهتمام كافى من وسائل الاعلام العربية بقضايا حقوق الانسان ؟

 قناة الحرة تعمل وفق قواعد مهنية صحافية مستفيدة من تراث ومنجز الصحافة الحرة في الولايات المتحدة الأميركية. اهتمام الحرة بقضايا حقوق الإنسان هو جزء من منطلقاتها المهنية " منطلقات مهنة الصحافة" وهي الولاء للناس والانحياز للحقيقة. أما لماذا لا يوجد اهتمام كاف بقضايا حقوق الإنسان في وسائل الإعلام العربية ..هذا السؤال يوجه للقائمين على وسائل الإعلام العربية.


Interview with Steve York: Director of Letter from Palestine



Why is the film named “Letter from Palestine?” 
I assume your description of the film as “animated” is anerror. This is a very conventional documentary in the sense that it consists of  live-action scenes. The title of the film was actually somewhat controversial at the time. I did not have a title in mind at the time I made the film. It was only when I was nearly finished that I had to choose a title. But from the start I was encouraged by the executive producer, David Fanning, to try an experiment. Instead of the usual documentary, in which the film maker stands to the side of the action and observes it, Fanning encouraged me to “get inside” the action, to be part of the story, and to think of the narrative in the first person, as a story that is happening to me, that I am talking about in my own voice. From that perspective, the idea that making the film was like writing a letter, was quite natural. The idea that I was writing from a place called Palestine was obvious – that’s where I was. But most American audiences at that time (1988), were not accustomed to thinking of a country or a place called Palestine, and that’s the source of the controversy.

What are the techniques and special technologies that you used in this film?
In some ways, this project was a struggle. I had to break the rules I had learned over nearly 20 years of documentary film-making, which demand that the film maker maintain a distance from the subject. For this project, I wanted to be “inside” the story, as I mentioned above. So the camera had to be positioned in the middle ot what was happening, as much as possible. That was difficult, because I didn’t want to interfere or obstruct the work of the medical teams, and it was against the instincts I had developed in all my prior work. In fact, I didn’t succeed completely, but I tried. There was one other special technique, which was the use of a very small, very light weight, hand-held camera. High-quality small cameras have now become very common, but in 1988, they were just being introduced. It was a SuperVHS camera, not even digital, and ver primitive by today’s standards. But it was a tiny camera compared to what I had previously used, and that allowed me to work in a very different way. I think the small camera also is less threatening to the people being photographed, and the result is more natural.

How  did come up with the main idea of the film?  
This was the simplest part of the project. Just after the start of the first Intifada, the physician who was director of the Palestinian Medical Relief Committees was visiting the United States, and I was introduced to him. He described his work in the West Bank, and I knew immediately that this work could be the subject for an interesting film. I had no story in mind, just the idea that if I was allowed to bring a camera and accompany the medical relief teams as they did their work, something interesting would happen and I would film it. I spent almost two weeks, traveling with the medical teams, seeing what they saw, getting as close to their work as possible. Altogether, I came home with 25 hours of video, most of it very good, and it was relatively easy to make a simple story out of it.

What is the message you would like deliver from this film?
Please remember that I assumed the film would be seen by an audience of ordinary Americans. At that time, and to some degree even today, Americans almost never see ordinary Palestinians or their land, or what their lives are like. What is it like to live under military occupation? I wanted to give Americans a fair picture of Palestinians as people, to let hear their voices, and their feelings be heard. Perhaps that sounds too simple, but if you consider that Palestinians had almost never been seen and had a chance to speak in this way, it seemed a worthwhile effort.
      
Is this the first time you participate in this festival?
At least one, or perhaps two of my other films was shown in your festival, in the last two years. I think they were “Bringing Down A Dictator” about the nonviolent defeat of Slobodan Milosevic in Serbia, and “Confronting the Truth” which is a documentary about the work of truth commissions in South Africa, Peru, East Timor, and Morocco.

Did the film participate in other international festivals? 
It’s quite an old film now, and I don’t remember what other festivals have shown it. Not very many.

What are the awards the the film has won? 
I don’t remember

Why did participated in Cairo Human Rights Film festival? and specially why Egypt?
My connection with the Cairo Human Rights Festival began when I met Dalia Ziada three years ago. I think Dalia was director of the festival at that time. She saw some of my films in the U.S. and proposed to show them at your festival. I am very pleased to have the films shown in Egypt, and I’m especially happy that your festival is continuing year after year, despite the initial difficulties you experienced.

What is the human rights' cause that the film present?
Human rights are a universal issue which knows no boundaries, which applies to every culture, every country, to all people everywhere. While I have never set out to make a film about human rights, the subjects of many of my films are closely related to human rights issues: oppressed minorities, people struggling against authoritarian rule or to achieve political rights, labor rights, and similar stories. In Letter From Palestine, the context is a struggle against occupation that denies the right of self-determination, the full range of political and economic rights, detention without charge or trial. Americans and people around the world are more conscious of aware of the Palestinian struggle today than in 1988, but there’s much work still to be done. I hope your festival will show a recently released film, “Budrus” which tells the story of how the people in a West Bank village used nonviolent strategies to prevent the construction of the “separation wall” through their land. It’s a great example of how nonviolent methods can succeed, and are even preferable. And it shows how women can play a very important role in this kind of struggle.

How did you present it or express that idea?
My approach to presentation is very simple: simply show the people as they are. No manipulation or persuasion or lecturing is required. Any fair-minded person who sees the difficult lives of the Palestinians in this film will immediately be sympathetic.
  
What are the obstacles  that you faced while making this film? 
This was not the first time I have worked in the occupied territories, so I knew what to expect and how to prepare. Working alone, without a crew, and with very little equipment, I was not conspicuous. But I think the key to any documentary project is to become acquainted with the people, to develop a feeling of trust. If the medical teams had not trusted me, it would have been impossible. But once I achieved that trust, they were able to help me in hundreds of ways, pointing out potential risks, keeping me safe, warning me when I should hide the camera, telling me when it was safe. One of the problems faced by every journalist or filmmaker in this region is how to safely transport the recorded tapes at the end of the filming. There’s always a risk that video tapes will be confiscated by Israeli security officials, especially at the Lod airport. In this case, I gave the tapes to a friend who was traveling overland to Amman, and this friend then sent the tapes to me by air courier from Jordan. At that time, carrying tapes across the Allenby bridge was considered less risky.

How do you see violations of the rights of the Palestinians by the Israeli occupation?
Over the last twenty years, I’ve learned a lot about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and I’ve developed many friends both in the Palestinian national movement, and in the Israeli peace movement, including organizations that are active on human rights issues. I’ve seen with my own eyes that the occupation represents a constant and pervasive violation of Palestinian rights. Obviously, human rights abuses are widespread. But I think the fundamental problem is the absence of Palestinian political rights. Many organizations are doing admirable work to defend human rights – which is another way of saying they are working for “a more humane occupation,” which I think is unrealistic. Any occupation is inherently undesirable. While the occupation still exists, of course. Israel should be required to adhere to international human rights standards, but the larger, much more important goal should be to eliminate the occupation, not to make it more humane. There is no such thing as a benign occupation. An end to the occupation, which implies the establishment of a Palestinian state, is obviously in the Palestinians’ interests, but it’s also in Israel’s best interests, in the long term.
 
You have worked in this movie yourself how you could do the job alone, without the assistance of one is a difficult task? 
Working alone, I was performing the functions of cameraman, director, sound recordist, and producer. I had prior experience in each of these roles, but never all of them simultaneously. It was exhausting, and it occupied my mind at least 18 hours a day. Even when I wasn’t filming, I was planning, preparing, talking to people about the coming days, thinking about how I would approach the next day. And every night, I viewed at least part of the video which I had shot that day, especially because I was unfamiliar with this camera, its potential and limitations. The real problem of working alone is that you are unable to concentrate exclusively on any single task – such as making the best possible images, in the case of operating a camera. You don’t have that luxury – you have to also be thinking about the sound quality, which would normally be the sound man’s job; and about the dialog, and looking out for safety, which is difficult when you have your eye up to the camera viewfinder. You don’t know what’s going on around you, and that can be dangerous.

Interview with David Munoz: Director of Three Sad Tigers





Why is the film named "Three Sad Tigers?"
THREE SAD TIGERS makes a reference to the bengali land origin of the three protagonists of the film. These three young men were brave as tigers to work abroad and take the risk, but made a mistake. Now, they are sad for good.


What are the techniques and special technologies that you used in this film? How  did come up with the main idea of the film ?
I have shot the film with a Canon 5D camera photo, which has allowed me to work with HD full frame with exchangeable lens. I have worked on Final Cut the editing and special effects have been produced with Nuke.

What is the message you would like deliver from this film?
The message is: get well informed before you migrate. And don’t do it in an irregular way, because it could easily become a nightmare. Getting a proper labour contract is the only way to guarantee that you are taking a common sense decision.

Is this the first time you participate in this festival?
No, I was honoured to participate last year too with my short documentary film FLOWERS OF RWANDA, a film on Rwandan society now, some years after genocide.

Did the film participate in other international festivals?
THREE SAD TIGERS has already participated in approximately 30 international film festivals. Many of them are important festivals, as Vancouver IFF (Canada), Beirut IFF (Libano), Kasseler Documentary FF (Germany), Pamplona Documentary FF (Spain), etc...

What are the awards the the film has won?
So far the film has won the Best Short Documentary Award of Festival de Cine Secuencia Cero (Spain). It also is a finalist in Japan Prize (Japan), FIBABC (Spain) or Extrema Doc (Spain).


Why did participated in Cairo Human Rights Film festival? and specially why Egypt?
Cairo Human Rights Film Festival is a great project. And I see human rights film festivals as a special spot to screen my film. It is also very good that the film can be screened in Egypt.

What is the human rights' cause that the film present?
Persons must be protected under international laws that oblige all countries to accomplish with basic rules for employment and migration. We cannot admit that millions of persons around the world suffer injustice of irregular employment, which in so many cases destroys their lifes and familes.

How did you present it or express that idea?
In THREE SAD TIGERS, I wanted to report through a documentary film the facts that persons, specially young men in Bangladesh this time, are being cheated and misused by irregular organisations that traffic with persons. So the aesthetics of the film is focused on presenting characters in an effective way, without an observational approach, but a front face one.

What are the obstacles  that you faced while making this film?
It was difficult from the start to make a research to find the three protagonists of the film. Once I got them, it was even harder to make an interview to a promonent middle man that has been sending Bangladeshi workers abroad for the past 30 years.

How do you see the problem of immigration in the third world countries to other developed countries?
We need each other, but don’t to talk about it. Developed countries import persons from all around. But in many cases, it is done in irregular ways, with Governments ignoring in purpose the problems. Also, undeveloped countries should regulate and control the illegal movement of unprotected persons that fall in the hands of criminals. This is a huge challenge and it shpould be faced.

Do the rights of the immigrants get violated ? and how?
Human rights of immigrants are repeatedly violated through illegal contracts and unfair behaviour of Governments, companies and middlemen.

Interview with Kan Yan: Director of the Price of Childhood



Why is the film named “The price of childhood?”
During the filming of The Price of Childhood, I was often impressed with the numbers involved. The costs of being able to go to school, of being able to eat enough food. The cost seemed relatively low compared to the important issues at stake--a child's present health and future opportunities.

How did come up with the main idea of the film ?
I collaborated with the NGO Base which wanted to publicize its work against child labor in Nepal in order to obtain some financial support for their work.

What is the message you would like deliver from this film?
That child labor is complicated, that the motivations of the people involved are complicated, but that improvements in the lives of child laborers are possible.

Is this the first time you participate in this festival?
Yes

Did the film participate in other international festivals?
Not yet

What is the human rights' cause that the film present?
At its most narrow, it is about child labor but in a larger context it is about the full panoply of economic, social, and cultural rights as the film follows the plight of an indigenous people robbed of their land, deprived of their livelihoods, and reduced to bondage.

And, how did you present it or express that idea?
This idea is expressed through the story of just two child laborers and interviews with activists, scholars, owners, and parents.

What are the obstacles  that you faced while making this film?
This was my first film so I essentially had to learn how to make a film. And there was a bit of a steep learning curve both in terms of how to use the technology and how to approach the construction of a narrative.

How do you see the problem of child labor in poor countries and developing countries?
I see it as a very complicated problem. It is very easy to describe it in terms of poor and developing countries and in terms of poor families who can't afford to send their children to school or even to feed them and in terms of the owners who are interested in cheap labor. What is lost in such a simple explanation is why certain groups of the same economic level would send their children to work while others would not. It also fails to do justice to the historical component of the story in which an indigenous people is robbed of their livelihoods and is thus bonded to do labor for their usurpers.

How can we solve this problem?
This is both a simple and very complicated question. The simple answer is free, compulsory education. The complicated answer is how is such a situation achieved in a politically tumultuous and economically poor country like Nepal.

What the role of world institutions and developed countries in solving this problem and whether they do their actual  role?
One fascinating aspect of this film is that the international community unintentionally caused this problem. Of course they are now in the process of addressing it as well and have made some significant strides by collaborating with their local partners.

Interview with Bukeni Waruzi: Director of Awaiting Tomorrow



Why did the film was named  “Awaiting Tomorrow?”
The film was named "Awaiting Tomorrow" because it's expresses the "Hope" that the women and man featured in the film had, and it was the main motive of the sense of urgency that the remedies to the HIV/AIDS patients had.

What are the techniques and special technologies that you used in this film?
This was filmed using an Sony HD Camera and was edited in New York at WITNESS using Final Cut Pro software. The sound was finetuned using a livelier mic.

How  did come up with the main idea of the film ?
The idea to make this film came from the growing pressure from former combatants who were concerned by their health status and wanted to raise awareness and have a specific advocacy goals to bring the needed change. Many children and young people, who were in military or not, are infected with HIV or living with AIDS but the lack of access to treatment and medication was a dilemma in addition to beeing HIV positive. Even those who wanted to know their health status with regards to HIV couldn't not afford the cost of testing when you compare to the daily income which is almost 1$/day and the testing costs were about $5.

What is the message you would like deliver from this film?
The message in this film is: HIV/AIDS patient have rights to medication and treatment, the DRC Health authorities should guarantee access to treatment, medication and free testing, which is a fulfillment of their duties. The community should avoid discrimination and the DRC government should ensure to eliminate discrimination against people who are infected/living with HIV/AIDS.

Why do people who have AIDS have difficulties co-existing in their societies?
The relationship between HIV/AIDS patients and the rest of the communities is low, the stigma and the discrimination are always the two prevailing factors. The rejection that the HIV/AIDS patient are victim of makes them to feel that the community is hostile and therefore they have to take on that fight in addition to fight against their disease. Beside that, HIV is, until now, impossible to cure, and the community considers that being a driving factor of the despair for those who are infected, while the costs for medication and treatment are unaffordable.

How to help them overcome this problem?
The HIV/AIDS patients need support, solidarity, love and compassion more than ever. This requires a great effort in terms of awareness raising that will help educate the community, call the governing authorities upon their responsibilities and the donor's community to provide more funding to make accessible the treatment, testing and medication.

How can we help to deliver medical care to them in poor countries ? and should this be done by initiatives from developed countries only? 
The medications are now available in many countries but still many others can't access them. To make the medication/treatment doesn't matter developed or less developed countries, what matters is who is willing to help and ready to help.

Is this the first time you participate in this festival?
This is the first time I participate in this festival, and I believe it is a great opportunity to spread the message adn possibly bring help and support to those who are HIV infected in the Congo.

Did the film participate in other international festivals?
Yes, the film was screened at other international human rights film festival such as the Bahrain International Human Rights Film festival, Amnesty International Film Festival, etc. But also it was featured in some Magazines.

What are the awards the the film has won?
The film hasn't won an award, though this is not its goal but would be appreciated.

Why did participated in Cairo Human Rights Film festival? and specially why Egypt?
The participation at the Cairo Human Rights Film Festival offers an opportunity to spread the message and to raise awareness. it is the choice of the organizers who select the films, and we're grateful.

What is the human rights' cause that the film present?
The film portrays the issue of HIV/AIDS as a human rights issue and therefore it shouldn't be viewed as a sole policy matter. Everyone has right to live, work and other basic human rights as recognized in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

And, how did you present it or express that idea?
The film features 3 characters from different backgounds and each one with own experience. With driven-interview style - storytelling mode, the characters present the issue and their ask. It was an effective way to present the issue. Video is nowadays effective way to convey the message and to speak to all-audience, that's why the video give effectively the entire issue with its complexity and frame it in clear messaging.

What are the obstacles that you faced while making this film? 
The main obstacles is the security of the interviewees and the meeting their expectations. It was not easy to secure their consent to be filmed and interviewed; while I had finished the interview of one character, but he died while I was about to start editing. That was heartbreaking.

Interview with Manu Gerosa & Salva Muñoz: Kamenge Directors



Why is the film named "Kamenge?"
The movie takes the name from the biggest and the poorest quarter of the Northern Quarters of Bujumbura, the capital city of Burundi, because most part of the movie is filmed in those quarters and speak about the situation and the opinion of the people living there.

What are the techniques and special technologies that you used in this film?
We used two cameras HDV with professional michrophones and nothing more; basically we tried to film most of the things with a tripod to give to the images a more cinematographic style.

How did come up with the main idea of the film?
We went to Burundi to make an institutional video for an italian NGO, but when we were there we understood that we could have tried to give a voice to the opinions, the anger and the hopes of all the people that live in the Northern Quarters, because nobody in the world care about their country and we could have helped them to let the world know which is the social and political situation of Burundi. Lately, when we came back to Europe we knew about Alexis Sinduhije in an interview on a Spanish newspaper, so we decided to try to meet him and we arranged with him to make an interview in France; one week after he went back to Burundi and he was jailed just for expressing his opinions. In that moment we decided we had to follow his story and suddenly he became the main character of the film, because what he was passing through was depicting perfectly the situation of lack of freedom and democracy in his country.

What is the message you would like deliver from this film?
I think in the film we let people speak and express their opinion about the social and political situation of their country, Burundi. We also show the struggle of a man that put his life at stake to try to change the thing in his country. But in the building up of the plot, we also express our personal opinion of the situation, so I could say that the message we want to deliver is that like in many other countries around the world, in Burundi the democracy is only what appears in the surface of the empty words of the political class but the reality is very different; the reality is that people that have the power try to do as much as they can to enrich themselves, oppressing the rest of the population and use the ethnical conflict issue to justify the need of control over the country.

Is this the first time you participate in this festival?
Yes because this is our first documentary.

Did the film participate in other international festivals?
Yes. The film already participated in the: “6th Festival Internacional de Cine de los Derechos Humanos (Bolivia)”, the “1st DocUtah International Documentary Festival 2010 (Utah-USA)”, “5th MiradasDoc international Documentary Festival 2010 (Tenerife-Spain)”, “15th Amnesty International Documentary Festival 2010 (Vancouver-Canada)”. And it has just been selected to participate in the “8th International Human Rights Films Festival of Paris 2011 (Paris-France)”.

What are the awards the the film has won?
None until this moment.

Why did participated in Cairo Human Rights Film festival? and specially why Egypt?
Because I think that our film speaks about human rights issues that are the main topics of the Festival and is about an African country and Egypt is an important and particular African country, because it represent the conjunction among Africa and Middle east, so we thought that our film could be appreciated in the Cairo Human Rights Film Festival.

What is the human rights' cause that the film present?
I think there are many human rights causes presented in the film, but the story we tell focuses on the right of freedom to express thoughts and ideas and the attempt of the Burundian government to silence or eliminate people that try to criticize the government or try to build up a political debate about the situation of the country.

And, how did you present it or express that idea?
We express that idea through the opinion of many people living in the Northern Quarters of Bujumbura, the capital city of Burundi, that are the poorest quarters and where the conflicts are more visible. But most of all we present that idea telling and following as closed as we could the story of Alexis Sinduhije, his fight for expressing his opinion and his attempt to change the things in his country.

What are the obstacles that you faced while making this film?
We faced many obstacles; first of all when we were in Burundi was quite dangerous to film around in the Northern Quarters, because the situation was very tensed and sometimes there were battles between the government troupes and some rebels, so we had to be careful. Later when we knew Alexis had been jailed we had to try to find out the way to tell his story through images, so we try to go back to Burundi again but some members of the United Nations advice us to don’t go because with the work we were doing we could have been a target; so we contacted with a Burundian video reporter friend of Alexis asking him to record videos of what was happening; we also face some difficulties to go back to France to interview Alexis’ wife, because she was scared that the documentary could have complicated more the things.

But since the beginning we believed that we were doing the right thing, we had to do our best to show the world what was happening in that little country of Africa and finally we convinced everybody to collaborate.

Interview with James Joint: "Awaiting Her" filmmaker




Why is the short film named “Esperandola: Awaiting her”?
It is a title that represents for me, that we are waiting for the feminine part of mankind to grow, so we can live in a better wold. It is a world of men, and we await Her.

What are the techniques and special technologies that you used in this film?
The film was shot with RED Cam technology. A very high definition digital camera.

How  did come up with the main idea of the film?
Talking about making a film with my older brother, sitting on a park bench one day, dreaming about what everybody was doing and where all these people we could see wee going.

What is the message you would like deliver from this film? 
Listen to your heart.

Is this the first time you participate in this festival?
Yes it is!

Did the film participate in other international festivals?
The film has been selected in 16 film festivals all over the world!

What are the awards the the film has won?
Best Short Film at the Marbella IFF and Best International Screenplay at the Festival Chileno del Cortometraje de Santiago.

Why did participated in Cairo Human Rights Film festival? and specially why Egypt? 
My film is about Human Rights, it s about the right to be human so it feels right to present it at a HR festival. Why Cairo? Because Cairo is one of the hearts of the world.

What is the human rights' cause that the film present? 
Millennium Development Goal 3: Empowerment of Women

And how did you present it or express that idea? 
Watch the film ;)

What are the obstacles  that you faced while making this film? 
That it was my first film! So I had to learn how to produce and direct while acting all at once!

How do you see the problem of violence against women? 
It is a problem that is extremely wide-spread and complex.

What causes male dominance in certain communities? 
For me it is the idea that being "weak" or "vulnerable" is a "bad" thing.

What are the means by which to empower women in poor  communities and developing countries? 
Education, education, education.