Amnesty International is proud to present its 3rd Annual Film Festival, being held March 10 th and 11 th in St. John's . With this year's theme of Not everything is in black and white. Come see the films that show the difference, t he festival features some of the most important issues facing the global community. The festival will be held at Memorial University 's Arts and Administration Building , Room A-1043 (Click on "Schedule" for more).

The film festival is dedicated to showcasing some of the world's best documentary films related to human rights. Through the art of film, with its ability to bring the viewer in touch with sometimes harsh realities, the festival strives to expose new audiences to human rights abuses occurring around the globe and to provide the St. John's public with concrete opportunities to take action against such abuses.

“Human rights abuses by armed groups, governments and individuals are committed every second, every moment. As citizens of the globalized world, Newfoundlanders and Labradorians have an obligation to speak out on behalf of children, women and men whose lives and rights are at risk. The Human Rights Film Festival is a tool, a window into those abuses, to enable Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to take action in their communities, starting with their neighbours and MPs, and bring change worldwide,” said Remzi Cej, Film Festival Coordinator.

The 2006 festival program features twelve films from around the globe that deal with human rights issues in such countries as Uganda , Israel and Armenia . Many of the documentaries showcased at the Human Rights Film Festival were made by Canadians.

A film focussing on human rights in Canada highlights this year's festival. “Two Worlds Colliding” focuses on the freezing deaths of several aboriginal people in Saskatchewan and the RCMP investigation that revealed the problems of discrimination against Aboriginal communities in Canada .

The film festival seeks to show the complexities of world conflicts, rather than classifying the problems as issues that have simple, two-dimension solutions to them.

Often challenging and inspiring, these real life stories are compelling and powerful and they help us understand what it means to be a citizen of the world today. The festival celebrates the significant contributions made by filmmakers worldwide to the awareness and understanding of human rights issues.

Some of the films that will be featured include:

Bhopal: The Search for Justice documents journalist Raajkumar Keswani's search for justice 20 years after a poisonous gas leak at the Union Carbide pesticide plant in Bhopal, India, killed 15,000 people and permanently maimed hundreds of thousands more.

The Fence is Alexandre Trudeau's intimate tale of families on opposing sides of the security barrier in the Jenin-Afula area of the Occupied Territories .

Mardi Gras: Made in China follows the "bead trail" from the factory in China to Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras, exposing the inequities of globalization.

Rocked: Sum 41 in Congo is a firsthand account of an African country in turmoil seen through the eyes of internationally acclaimed rock band Sum 41. While in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the band members get caught in the middle of a tense battle between heavily armed rebel soldiers and government troops.

“The Film Festival provides an opportunity to highlight examples of the struggles for freedom around the globe and to hopefully encourage our own community to help take action against the human rights abuses happening to ordinary people all over the world,” said Cej.

Not everything is in black and white. Come see the films that show the difference.

For a complete schedule, please visit the Amnesty Film Festival site at www.sji.ca/providers/AI/festival or contact Remzi Cej, Film Festival Coordinator, at remzi.cej@gmail.com

NOTE: The documentary and feature films and videos presented in the festival are individual works of art and journalism, and have not been produced by Amnesty International. The perspectives or opinions presented in these films and videos are not necessarily those of Amnesty International, and Amnesty International has not necessarily researched or verified any specific facts presented in the films.

FILMS HAVE NOT BEEN RATED; SOME FILMS MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATE FOR VIEWERS YOUNGER THAN 17. DISCRETION IS ADVISED.