[Specified non-profit corporation, United Nations UNHCR Association] Thinking about the world. Ask about peace. “19th Refugee Film Festival 2024” Opening Screening Event Report on November 7th (Thursday)
Specified non-profit organization United Nations UNHCR Association Press release: November 8, 2024 Thinking about the world. Ask about peace. “19th Refugee Film Festival 2024″ Opening Screening Event Report on Thursday, November 7th 6
masterpieces will be released/distributed, including 4 that will be released for the first time in Japan [Online event] November 7th (Thursday) to November 30th (Saturday), 2024 [Theatrical event] (Tokyo)] November 7, 2024 (Thursday) TOHO Cinemas Roppongi Hills The United Nations Association for UNHCR (Minato-ku, Tokyo), a specified non-profit organization, held an opening screening event at TOHO Cinemas Roppongi Hills on November 7th (Thursday) to celebrate the 19th Refugee Film Festival. On the occasion of the release of 6 masterpieces, including 4 films that will be released for the first time in Japan, we screened the opening film, “The Walk: Girl Amal’s 8,000km Journey”, a documentary in which a Syrian refugee girl asks society about the refugee issue. .
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/8107/134/8107-134-d5896f179e8264079b0adb79c45b19c6-2876×1957.jpg Director Kosai Sekine, who produced the poetry reading drama “Liszt: What They Had” After the screening of “The Walk: Girl Amal’s 8,000km Journey”, a talk show was held with director Tamara Kotevska and cinematographer Jean Dakar, who had come to Japan for this theatrical screening. Director Tamara Kotevska said at a talk event, “Refugees are not beggars or people with disabilities who are just waiting for assistance. They are brave, special people with talent who survive even in the most dire of circumstances. This refugee situation can happen to anyone in the world at any time, and we never know when it will change our lives forever. In order for our society to grow, we must end the tragedy of refugees. I also want more people to watch documentary films. Movies are not just entertainment and
entertainment. I want everyone to think more about the meaning of movies. Movies have the power to change people and society. Director of Photography Jean Dakar said, “I would like to express my gratitude to the people of Japan for showing their solidarity with the refugee issue.” I hope that after watching this film, you will continue to be interested in these issues. ” he said.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/8107/134/8107-134-94484d86dce9e1c7b497850fca5c8f22-3900×2550.jpg Director Tamara Kotevska (right) and cinematographer Jean Dakar (left) of “The Walk: Amal’s 8000km Journey” The six works collected and selected from all over the world (including four films shown for the first time in Japan and one film shown in 2012) are gems that focus on the powerful lives of refugees who survive hardships. is. Click here for the trailer https://youtu.be/R5K6ty0H0Nc The Walk – Girl Amal’s 8000km journey – [Japan’s first release] *Theatrical screening* A Syrian refugee girl asks society about refugee issues
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/8107/134/8107-134-5af688d592d555189efcaa129151bc9c-1920×1080.jpg Original title: The Walk / Documentary / 80 minutes / 2023 A 3.5 meter tall doll called Amal embarks on a journey across Europe to raise awareness of the plight of unaccompanied refugee children. Along the way, Amal encounters refugees in similar circumstances and many people who do not accept her. Amal is a real girl with a real voice (the inner monologue of a Syrian refugee) who expresses the hopes and fears she feels on this journey. The film uses artistic methods to depict Amal’s journey in search of safety and a place to belong, while also showing a young girl struggling with various emotions. Escape from your eternal home Ukraine [First release in Japan] The journey of evacuation from Ukraine, thoughts of each family
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/8107/134/8107-134-b1c746ade29e41a0b8b620100a66379b-1920×1080.png Original title: In the Rearview / Documentary / 84 minutes / 2023 This is an observational account of the evacuation journey of Ukrainian civilians fleeing a horrific conflict. The director himself drives the car and helps people move through minefields and military checkpoints. The camera captures the thoughts of people during wartime by recording facial expressions reflected in the car’s rearview mirror and conversations taking place in the back seat. Along the tens of thousands of kilometers from Ukraine to Poland, the car became a waiting room, a hospital, a shelter, and a place of confession for any compatriots who happened to be in the car. Piece by Chocolate The success story of a Syrian refugee who successfully started a business in Canada, where he settled
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/8107/134/8107-134-c51bb2046a1c7a64d022b341d3d1265c-739×415.jpg Original title: Peace by Chocolate / Drama / 96 minutes / 2021 Terek became a refugee due to the Syrian civil war and immigrated to Canada with his family. The family’s host city is much smaller than his hometown of Damascus, but Terek, whose aim is to graduate from medical school and is in limbo due to the civil war, searches for a way to do so. Meanwhile, his father, Issam, who was a top-notch chocolate craftsman, resumes selling chocolate with the support of the people he has moved to. A heartwarming success story of an actual chocolate shop that depicts family, peace, and chocolate that brings happiness to people. From isolation to connection ~Rosemary’s style~ [First release in Japan] Connecting with the community is what empowers refugees
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/8107/134/8107-134-9ee0a2911df09736336e653d892ed887-1920×1080.jpg Original title: Rosemary’s Way / Documentary / 75 minutes / 2020 Among the refugees and immigrants who have settled in Australia, there are women who live isolated lives without social connections. Rosemary, who acts as a bridge between the police and the community, works with women from diverse cultures such as Iraq, Congo, and Peru to share different cultures they have never experienced, and persuades local people to accept them into the community. rush to A documentary celebrating the brilliance and courage of women who, with Rosemary’s help, changed their lives from isolation to connection. The challenge of refugees to build a school [First release in Japan] The courage and energy of refugees to carve out a life in the face of hardship Image
URL: https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/8107/134/8107-134-efa50dacd75e6ed6c3551118d0cd2e45-3900×2600.jpg Original title: The Staging Post / Documentary / 65 minutes / 2017 Two young Hazara-Afghan refugees, Muzafa and Hadim, ended up spending several years in the Indonesian village of Cisarua after the Australian government forced all asylum seekers arriving by boat to be interned. Despite their uncertain circumstances, they rose up in search of a better life, built a community, and started a school that would revolutionize education for refugees. A true story about the great hope that comes from the power of friendship, connection, and community. We Saw -Children of the Samni Family in Gaza- [7th Refugee Film Festival Revival Screening]
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/8107/134/8107-134-6da86fdce7bfa48baad71a3eeb8730ff-3900×2600.jpg What We Saw: Gaza, the Children of Samuni Family /Documentary / 89 minutes / 2011 The Israeli military’s attacks on the Palestinian Gaza Strip from 2008 to 2009 resulted in the deaths of 1,400 people. The children of the Samni family, who live in Zeitoun, an agricultural area in southern Gaza, had experienced a brutal incident in which 29 members of their family were murdered at once. Director Mizue Furui’s camera quietly watches over the lives of children struggling to survive despite losing their families, capturing their emotional scars and changes. What we glimpsed through the children’s testimonies was their “zest for life” and “human strength.” *The content expressed in the films shown at the 19th Refugee Film Festival does not represent or reflect the opinions of the companies, organizations, or any other individuals or organizations involved in the event. [Application reception] Reception on the official website of “19th Refugee Film Festival” https://www.japanforunhcr.org/how-to-help/rff [Participation fee] ・For each online viewing, please select (A) Viewing with donation (starting from 1,000 yen) or (B) Viewing for free. ・If you would like to apply for all 6 works for online viewing, please select from (A) Viewing with donation (starting from 3,000 yen) or (B) Viewing for free. *In order to make it easier for young people who will be responsible for the future to participate, we have created an option for free viewing. This film festival is run through donations and cooperation from companies, organizations, and individuals, so we would appreciate it if you could help us by viewing the film with a donation. *The above donations will be used for refugee aid activities of UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees). If you want to know more about refugees During the festival period, we will invite guest speakers to hold online seminars where you can learn about refugee issues and society behind the films screened (Zoom, participation is free, application required from the Refugee Film Festival website). ■November 13th (Wednesday) and 27th (Wednesday) Learn about refugee issues around the world and UNHCR’s humanitarian assistance Speaker: Megumi Nakamura (United Nations UNHCR Association, Special Secretary-General in charge of external affairs) ■November 15th (Friday) The current humanitarian crisis in Ukraine Speaker: Hideki Matsunaga (Director, Japan International Cooperation Agency, Ukraine Office) Jun Shirato (Deputy Representative, UNHCR Poland Office) ■November 21st (Thursday) Children living in conflict situations Speaker: Mizue Furui (journalist, director of “We Saw – Children of the Samni Family in Gaza”) Sahel Rose (actor, talent) ■November 28th (Thursday) Thinking about the refugee problem in Japanese society Speaker: Shinpei Narabe (Secretary General, JELA Public Interest Incorporated Foundation) Rama (from Syria, graduate of UNHCR Refugee Higher Education Program, employee of an education company) [Sponsor] Specified non-profit organization United Nations UNHCR Association [Cooperation] United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Office in Japan [Partner] Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) [Sponsor] Council for Local Government International Relations (CLAIR) [Special Sponsor] Canon Inc., MIYOSHI Co., Ltd., UNIQLO Co., Ltd. [Sponsor] Sony Group Co., Ltd., Toho Co., Ltd., TOHO Cinemas Co., Ltd. TOHO Marketing Co., Ltd., Japan Image Translation Academy Co., Ltd., Fuji Megane Co., Ltd., LIVE BOARD Co., Ltd. [Subtitle production cooperation] Japan Video Translation Academy Co., Ltd. [Project cooperation] Okunote, Peatix Japan Co., Ltd., Faith Co., Ltd. (alphabetical order) ■What is Refugee Film Festival It started in 2006 as Japan’s first film festival focusing on refugees. The event is held every year with the aim of conveying the strength of refugees to survive hardship through the power of video, and to spread understanding and empathy for the refugee issue in Japanese society. To date, 265 films from around the world have been screened, and more than 100,000 people have visited.
https://www.japanforunhcr.org/how-to-help/rff As a spin-off of the Refugee Film Festival, “Refugee Film Festival Partners” has also spread throughout Japan. In 2015, “School Partners,” an initiative that supports the purpose of the Refugee Film Festival and allows schools to host screenings, was launched. Currently, it is spreading to companies, organizations, and local governments. To date, over 200 partners have held screenings, with over 20,000 participants. https://www.japanforunhcr.org/how-to-help/rff-partners ■What is UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees)? UNHCR, the United Nations’ refugee assistance agency, works in approximately 135 countries around the world to protect and support refugees, internally displaced persons, stateless persons, and others internationally. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1954 and 1981. Headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland. https://www.unhcr.org/jp/ ■What is the United Nations UNHCR Association, a specified non-profit organization? The United Nations Association for UNHCR was established in 2000 as the official support point for UNHCR in Japan. In collaboration with the UNHCR Japan Office, we carry out public relations and fundraising activities targeting the private sector, including companies, organizations, and individuals, in order to support UNHCR’s
activities. We are a certified NPO that can issue receipts for donations (tax benefits) for your donations.
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