Artivist Film Festival hits London (March 5-6, 2010)
Preview by Jack Foley
AFTER a successful run in Los Angeles, the 6th Annual International Artivist Film Festival comes to London from March 5 – 6, 2010, at the historic George Bernard Shaw Theatre, screening a selection of independent documentaries and short films with support from WWF, War Child, Action Against Hunger, Photo Voice and The Mtaala Foundation.
The Artivist Festival’s mission is to strengthen the voice of advocate artists – ‘Artivists’ – while raising public awareness for social global causes.
Since its inception in 2004, the Artivist Film Festival has showcased over 400 films, representing more than 45 countries around the world, reaching millions of people through film festivals in London, LA, Tokyo, Lisbon and Mexico City.
Artivist has been endorsed by Claes Nobel of the Nobel Prize family, Amnesty International, and the United Nations Department of Public Information.
The festival opens with critically acclaimed, award-winning documentary Children of War. This film is set in the east African country of Uganda and chronicles the daily struggle towards rehabilitation and reconciliation by a group of recently escaped child soldiers of the Lord’s Resistance Army, one of the world’s longest running and most brutal militias.
Many films that have premiered at Artivist have gone on to great acclaim, including Academy Award winner Born Into Brothels, Academy Award Nominees Super-Size Me and God Sleeps in Rwanda, and the Los Angeles Premieres of Fast Food Nation, Emmanuelle’s Gift, Stolen Childhoods, Zeitgeist, Zeitgest Addendum and Trudell.
Diaky Diaz, Artivist Founder-President says: “We’re really excited to be bringing the Artivist Film Festival to London. Raising awareness for the interdependence between Humanity, Animals, and the Environment is the true mission of Artivist. Filmmakers, celebrities and NGOs from around the world can gather to celebrate advocate artists that inspire positive actions in our global community.”
Tickets are £5 and £3 for students with a valid NUS card and NGO/charity staff.
The Artivist Film Festival will be held from March 5 – 6, 2010 at The Shaw Theatre, 100-110 Euston Road, London, NW1 2AJ.
Film Festival Schedule at a glance:
Friday, March 5, 8pm, Opening Night Film:
Children of War and Out of Sight, Out of Mind followed by Q&A with Yoni Bentovim, Director Out of Sight, Out of Mind, Wayne Bleier, Programmes Director War Child and Nick Taussig, Director Mtaala Foundation.
Friday, March 5, 10.30pm:
Rough Cut and Intelligent Life: Change Your Mind, Change Your World
Saturday, March 6, 1pm:
Vultures Have Wings and Belonging and Q&A with Natalie Duck, Senior Advocacy Advisor, Action Against Hunger
Saturday, March 6, 3pm:
5 Heroes, The One Wayz, Intersection and Q&A with Eelyn Lee, Director, 5 Heroes and Jane Martin, Programme Manager, Photo Voice
Saturday, March 6, 5pm:
Crossing, directed by Kim Tae-Kyun
Former soccer star and national hero Yong-soo lives in a small coal-mining village in North Korea with his wife, young son, and their dog. Despite their meager existence, they are a family. When Yong-soo’s pregnant wife becomes critically ill, Yong-soo must depart North Korea in search of medicine. His wife and son must fend for themselves. Crossing is a classic melodrama about the struggle of one family to reunite despite political obstacles and inhospitable circumstances
Saturday, March 6, 7.15pm:
Curse of the Black Gold and Sweet Crude and Q&A with Director Sandy Cioffi (Crocodile Tears, Terminal 187, Just Us) and Naomi McAuliffe, Dignity Campaign Manager, ‘It’s Hell in the Niger Delta, Amnesty International
Saturday, March 6, 10pm:
Abe and Ice Bears of Beaufort and Q&A with Carmen Von Ruhr, Producer, Abe and Lucy Bertenshaw, Campaign Manager, WWF
For further information on all of the above films, please visit the website