One World Film Festival 2017 Lineup | 4 Days of Docs & Talks on Global Issues | Sept 28-Oct 1

One World Film Festival is excited to launch our 28th annual Festival with an amazing lineup of inspiring and thought-provoking documentaries from Canadian and international filmmakers. The festival runs from September 28th to October 1st and will take place at Saint Paul University (223 Main St., Ottawa). Along with panel discussions and spirited Q&As, our 4-day festival will feature the following lineup of compelling documentaries that address a variety of important global issues. View festival schedule, including show times and details about Q&As with filmmakers and panel discussions, online here.

Tickets and passes for all festival screenings and talks are available to purchase online now at: oneworldfilmfestival.ca/owff-tickets-and-passes/

The 2017 One World Film Festival is funded by grants from the Ottawa Community Foundation, the City of Ottawa, and the Ontario Arts Council, an agency of the Government of Ontario, and is made possible thanks to the generous contributions of a range of dedicated community partners and sponsors.

500 Years | Life in Resistance ♀ Director in attendance
Directed by Pamela Yates | USA | 2017 | 106 min
From a historic genocide trial to the overthrow of a president, 500 Years tells a sweeping story of mounting resistance played out in Guatemala’s recent history through the actions and perspectives of the majority indigenous Mayan population, who now stand poised to re-imagine their society.
Presented with the Nobel Women’s Initiative and MiningWatch Canada on Friday, September 29 – Evening

ABU| Director in attendance
Directed by Arshad Khan | Canada | 2017 | 80 min
Gay-identifying Pakistani-Muslim filmmaker Arshad Khan examines his relationship with his devout Muslim father in a courageous exploration of family, migration, love and religion, from Lahore to Mississauga. Through a tapestry of narratives composed of family footage, observation, and classic Bollywood films, ABU documents the tug-of-war between conservatism and liberalism of a fragmented family grappling with religion, sexuality, colonialism and migration as they come to call Canada home.
Presented with the Canadian Centre for Gender and Sexual Diversity on Saturday, September 30 – Evening

A Bridge Between Two Worlds
Directed by Pascal Gélinas | Canada | 2016 | 51 min
For the past 15 years Québecer Gilles Raymond has resided on the Island of Flores in Indonesia and has witnessed first-hand the struggles of the island’s residents to survive and support their families. In search a solution to break the cycle of poverty, he began linking local farmers with “honour loans” from North American and European families and the difference this has made has been remarkable.
Presented with Ottawa Indie Fest on Saturday, September 30 – Afternoon

A Cello in the Subway
Directed by Iven Tu | Canada | 2016 | 11 min
Chinese cellist Leo Zhang regularly performs in the TTC subway; he reveals the cross-cultural bond formed within his band in this documentary.
Saturday, September 30 – Afternoon

FANTASSÚT / Rain on the borders
Directed by Federica Foglia | Canada | 2016 | 15 min
11,000 refugees have been stranded for months in the Idomeni refugee camp on the Greek/Macedonian border. This short documentary is a glimpse of their lives in a forgotten twilight zone, as they wait for the European borders to open.
Presented with Oxfam Canada and Refugee 613 on Sunday, October 1 – Afternoon

Fixed!
Directed by Cat Mills | Canada | 2016 | 14 min
Globally, we throw out 50 tons of household waste every second. Much of that waste is not garbage but items that can be given a second life through repair. FIXED! is a documentary about the Repair Cafe in Toronto, Ontario – an international movement where volunteers gather together once a month and fix broken items from members of the community for free. In this short documentary, we meet five people who have come to the Repair Cafe to get their beloved broken items fixed. Each person is paired with a volunteer ‘Fixers’, and together these perfect strangers will try to resurrect the broken items. Will they succeed or will these five items be tossed into the landfill? FIXED! challenges our throw-away culture in a lighthearted and empowering way.
Thursday, September 28 – Evening

Freedom Drum
Directed by Monica Virtue | Canada | 2007 | 11 min
On October 12, 2006 at sunrise on Victoria Island in Ottawa members of The Midnight Messenger, Amnesty International Canada’s human rights drum circle, raised their voices in song and beat their drums in a steady rhythm that marked the beginning of a 24-hour vigil in support of the UN Declaraction on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The vigil was a call to action to the Canadian government to reinstate support the the Declaration and for Canada make good on its claims that it did good things for Indigenous peoples.
The One World Film Festival presents this special 10th anniversassary screening of Freedom Drum, which was originally screened at the Festival in 2007 as part of its focus on First Peoples – First Stories, in partnership with Amnesty International Canada on September 28 – Evening.

Inside the Labyrinth
Directed by Caroline D’hondt | Belgium | 2016 | 74 min
INSIDE THE LABYRINTH takes us on a journey into the lands of the Tohono O’odham indigenous people, located at the border between the American State of Arizona and the Mexican State of Sonora. The film follows individuals from this community, who contemplate the meaning of identity, indigenous sovereignty, immigration, borders and fear. It takes us to the heart of a migration zone, where military presence is increasing and where walls are being erected. As the film transports us there, it tells a story that echoes throughout the world, as states pursue policies of isolation and militarization to ensure their security. It is a journey to the center of the labyrinth.
Presented with Asinabka Film and Media Arts Festival on Friday, September 29 – Evening

In the Name of All Canadians
Various directors | Canada | 2017 | 88 min
Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms gets six fresh perspectives with In the Name of All Canadians, a compilation of short documentaries commissioned by Hot Docs. From Indigenous rights to the controversial ‘notwithstanding clause,’ participating filmmakers take the Charter’s key tenets off the page and into the lived experiences of the country we call home.
Presented with the Human Rights Research and Education Centre (HRREC), Hot Docs and the Ontario Trillium Foundation, an agency of the government of Ontario, on Saturday, September 30 – Afternoon

In The Name Of Confucius ♀ Director in attendance
Directed by Doris Liu | Canada | 2016 | 52 min
Confucius Institute (CI) initiative is a multi-billion dollar Chinese language program found in over 1,500 universities and schools across the world. Described by Beijing itself as an important part of China’s “overseas propaganda set up”, new Institutes are opened around the world at a rate of one every week or two. In the Name of Confucius is the first documentary exposé of this ‘propaganda’ initiative being carried out by the Chinese government. When Canada’s largest school board is slated to open the world’s largest Confucius Institute, the school trustees find themselves embroiled in a growing global controversy. Critics argue that the seemingly benign Confucius Institutes come at a significant cost—a loss of academic integrity, foreign influence, violations to human rights, and even potential infringements on national security. Protesters join force to launch an anti-CI campaign but are soon confronted by CI supporters. The school board soon turns into a battleground as the tension between the two camps grows—culminating in a vote that will decide the fate of the CI partnership.
A panel discussion will follow the screening on Saturday, September 30 – Afternoon

Journeys to Adäka
Directed by Fritz Mueller | Canada | 2017 | 55 min
Journeys to Adäka is the story of indigenous artists from the Yukon who look to the past for strength to overcome a legacy of hurt, and in the process are becoming cultural giants and leaders. This one-hour documentary follows seven Yukon First Nation performers and artists in the months leading to Adäka Cultural Festival in Whitehorse, Yukon. Journeys to Adäka takes us into carving sheds, kitchens and community halls where artists and their families are reconnecting with their ancestors, healing, and moving personal mountains to each find their light. The process is familiar – rehearsals, training, crafting – but the backdrop of distant northern communities and an intimate view of their lives serves up both difficult lessons and inspiration. Journeys to Adäka paints a moving portrait of self-empowered indigenous communities at an inflection point in our history. This documentary was produced in association with Yukon First Nations Culture and Tourism Association.
Presented with Asinabka Film and Media Arts Festival and the Human Rights Research and Education Centre (HRREC) on Saturday, September 30 – Evening

Let There Be Light
Directed by Mila Aung-Thwin and Van Royko | Canada | 2017 | 80 min
In the south of France, scientists from 37 countries are building the most complex machine ever attempted: an artificial sun. If they get it right, it will illuminate the way to produce clean, cheap, abundant energy for millions of years. If they fail, it will be one of the biggest scientific failures of all time. Nuclear fusion has been the holy grail of energy for many decades now. It’s the process that drives stars, the ultimate source of energy in the universe. The possibility that fusion might be achievable on Earth as an energy source has driven scientists to the edge of reason for almost a century.
Presented with Hot Docs and the Ontario Trillium Foundation, an agency of the government of Ontario, on Sunday, October 1 – Evening

Letters to the Prime Minister
Directed by Andres Livov | Canada | 2016 | 20 min
Montreal author Marie-Célie Agnant collects stories, dreams and demands from Parc-Extension residents, in order to write a letter to their deputy, Justin Trudeau, now the 23rd Prime Minister of Canada.
Screening with In the Name of All Canadians Saturday, September 30 – Afternoon

My Father’s Tools
Directed by Heather Condo | Canada | 2016 | 6 min
In honour of his father, Stephen creates beautiful and intricate traditional baskets. He finds peace in his studio, in connecting with the man who taught him the work.
Presented with Asinabka Film and Media Arts Festival on Friday, September 29 – Evening

Ottawa Through the Lens of Refugees, Immigrants and Newcomers
Immigrants and their children make up nearly half of the population of Ottawa and our city takes in more newcomers and refugees every day. In the past year and a half alone, Ottawa welcomed more than 2,100 Syrians and several hundred refugees from other nations. This summer we gave immigrants, newcomers, and refugees the tools and training to produce short documentaries that look at Ottawa from their points of view. Join us for this special programming and experience Ottawa through the lens of Ottawa’s immigrant, newcomers and refugee residents. This project was managed by A. Sabastien Callender made possible with funding from the Ottawa Community Foundation.
Presented with Oxfam Canada and Refugee 613 on Sunday, October 1 – Afternoon

Shiners 
Directed by Stacey Tenenbaum | Canada | 2016 | 78 min
Meet the men and women who make their living cleaning our shoes. From New York to Tokyo and beyond, Shiners travels the world to give you an insider’s view of this overlooked profession. People around the world have turned to shoe shining to provide for themselves and their families. These are their stories. Enter their universe. You’ll never look at a shoe shiner the same way again!
Presented with Hot Docs and the Ontario Trillium Foundation, an agency of the government of Ontario, on Sunday, October 1 – Evening

The Sunrise Storyteller ♀ Director in attendance
Directed by Kasha Slavner | Canada | 2016 | 64 min
Kasha Sequoia Slavner, aka The Sunrise Storyteller, is an 18-year old filmmaker, photographer, entrepreneur, young global leader and peace advocate. Disillusioned and outraged by the negativity and powerlessness she felt as a consumer of mainstream media, she was compelled to find an alternative narrative. On her 16th birthday she embarks on a mission to travel the world for six months with her mom, in search of what it means to be a global citizen. Her epic journey takes her across 7 countries, and she captures resilient human stories that serve as a beacon of hope for others to take action. The Sunrise Storyteller introduces us to trailblazers who are finding sustainable and creative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing issues. Upon her return to Canada, Slavner meets and interviews Vietnam napalm bomb survivor Phan Thi Kim Phuc who brings to the film a crucial message about forgiveness and peace.
Presented with CUSO International on Sunday, October 1 – Afternoon

The Three Sisters Community Garden
Directed by Zachary Greenleaf | Canada | 2016 | 5 min
Zachary Greenleaf, a young Mi’gmaq from Gesgapegiag, tries to reintroduce the “three sisters” (the traditional white corn, squash and beans used in Native gardens) in his community with the help of other youth.
Presented with Inter Pares on Thursday, September 28 – Evening

Through My Eyes: Hani’s Journey
Directed by Zahra Mackaoui | UK | 2017 | 30 min
‘Through My Eyes’ follows the journey of blind Syrian refugee Hani Al Moliya from the camps in Lebanon to Canada. Told through his photos, it is a story of triumph against adversity set against the backdrop of the Syrian refugee crisis.
Presented with Oxfam Canada and Refugee 613 on Sunday, October 1 – Afternoon

Tomorrow
Directed by Mélanie Laurent and Cyril Dion | France | 2015 | 118 min
Over the course of a century, our dream of progress commonly called “the American Dream”, fundamentally changed the way we live and continues to inspire many developing countries. Time has proven however, that this course threatens to bring tremendous damage to our planet. We urgently need to focus our efforts on changing our dreams before something irreversible happens. We need a new direction, objective… A new dream! The documentary Tomorrow sets out to showcase alternative and creative ways of viewing agriculture, economics, energy and education. It offers constructive solutions to act on a local level to make a difference on a global level. TOMORROW is not just a film, it is the beginning of a movement seeking to encourage local communities around the world to change the way they live for the sake of our planet.
Thursday, September 28 – Evening

Water Warriors
Directed by Michael Premo | U.S. | 2017 | 22 min
In 2013, Texas-based SWN Resources arrived in New Brunswick, Canada to explore for natural gas. The region is known for its forestry, farming and fishing industries, which are both commercial and small-scale subsistence operations that rural communities depend on. In response, a multicultural group of unlikely warriors–including members of the Mi’kmaq Elsipogtog First Nation, French-speaking Acadians and white, English-speaking families–set up a series of road blockades, sometimes on fire, preventing exploration. After months of resistance, their efforts not only halted drilling; they elected a new government and won an indefinite moratorium on fracking in the province. Water Warriors is the story of a community’s successful fight to protect their water from the oil and natural gas industry.
Presented with Inter Pares on Thursday, September 28 – Evening

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