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12020 Festival Guide

2LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENTThe North Dakota Human Rights Film Festival acknowledges that our festival is held on Indigenous peoples’ traditional homelands, in-cluding the Anishinaabe, the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara, and the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota peoples. These proud, Indigenous Peoples are not a part of the past. They remain an essential part of North Dakota today. Our festival recognizes the ever-present systemic inequities perpetrated against these cultures in our state, and we commit ourselves indefinitely to respecting and reconciling this long history of injustice.

3Cover & Official poster designed by D.C. HouleOpposite: “What Was Ours” | Directed by Matt Hames | 2016WelcomeIn June, we were optimistically hopeful that elected state leaders would rise to the challenge that the COVID-19 pandemic presented to North Dakota. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case. As of this writing, North Dakota leads the nation in per capita COVID-19 cases. Each week brings another broken record: The number of active cases. The number of hospitalizations. The number of our friends and family members who have died due to complications of the deadly virus. As summer transitioned to fall, it was clear that our leaders’ failure to act would make traditional screening options inaccessible to us. That left us with a decision: To cancel our fourth season or transition the festival online. We decided, with the support of the filmmakers in the festival this year, to bring these films online for you to experience from the safety of your home. This year, more than any of our festival’s history, we felt it essential to bring these important films to North Dakota. 2020 has seen the rise of mental health needs in our society and the deterioration and strain of our health care systems. It has seen the rise and cultural acceptance of white separatism and nationalism. It has seen a Presidential Administration that has embraced and emboldened systems of racism that continue to create and maintain racial inequality in nearly every facet of life for people of color. But there has also been hope. Our nation’s collective consciousness that supports equality, equity, and inclusion has risen against these injustices: From the continued Indigenous-led Water Protector movement that shields our environment from corporate interests; to the Black Lives Matter movement, which is demanding reform from our police and criminal justice systems; to the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, and the acknowledgment of the Supreme Court that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects gay, lesbian, and transgender employees from discrimination based on sex; and to the Get Out the Vote movement that has inspired a new generation of voters to elect leaders that represent the best of who we are as a nation. The films in the festival this year capture the heart of the challenges and hopes that have defined 2020. It is, I believe, one of the most important curations of film our Jury has crafted since our beginnings in 2017. More, while the pandemic has created challenges for the festival, the silver lining is this: by moving online, we have had the opportunity to engage with more filmmakers this year than ever before. From Belfast to India, from Sweden to New Zealand, from California to Australia, we have been able to have incredible conversations with filmmakers risking their lives to document critical human rights, civil rights, and social justice issues. On behalf of the entire team, it is my pleasure to welcome you to the fourth annual North Dakota Human Rights Film Festival. Thank you for supporting the work of these filmmakers and the humanitarian eorts they document. We hope you leave the festival inspired by the individuals working to protect our fundamental human rights. With love and respect,Sean Coman2020 Festival ChairThe North Dakota Human Rights Film Festival

4TICKETSPasses and Individual ticketsAll-Access Pass & Human Rights $80 Summit & Arc of Justice AwardsProvides access to all feature films, shorts packages and live conversations from the North Dakota Human Rights Film Festival and access to the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition’s Human Rights Summit and Arc of Justice Awards held virtually on Saturday, November 14th. All-Access Pass $35Provides access to all feature films, shorts packages and live conversationsSingle Admission $12Individual admission to any feature film, short package or live conversationWhen purchasing your pass or ticket, please consider also making a tax-deductible donation to the North Dakota Human Rights Film Festival. Your support helps bring important, relevant human rights and social justice based films to the northern communities of North Dakota.How to buy ticketsOnline ticket sales begin Monday, October 19. Tickets are available at www.ndhr.org. Tickets are sold via Eventive. Once your order is complete, you will receive an email confirmation and receive access to the films in your package.You will have the opportunity to screen films using your desktop computer, Online and Box Oce payment: Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express are accepted. Cash and Checks are not accepted.The Fine Print: All orders are final. No refunds, exchanges, substitutions, or replacements. The Human Family is not responsible for lost, stolen, forgotten, or damaged tickets or passes, or any item misdirected by the Postal Service or spam filters. If a screening is canceled, attendees will have an opportunity to attend a rescheduled screening. Service fees for returned rescheduled passes or tickets are non-refundable. The service fee is $1.00 per pass or ticket.AccessibilityClosed-captioning is available for certain films and for pre-recorded panel discussions and filmmaker Q&As.To request specific accommodations, email ADA@human-family.orgConnect with usWebsite NDHRFF.orgPhone (701) 205-0248 FAX (701) 212-4197How to Join UsBecause of the pandemic, the North Dakota Human Rights Film Festival has moved online for our fourth season. The festival will take place online using the Eventive platform. You can access the online platform from our webpage at www.ndhr.org or directly at https://ndhr2020.eventive.org/welcomeE D Q

5HOW TO WATCHGetting StartedThis year, the North Dakota Human Rights Film Festival will only be available online. We are using the Eventive Platform, which allows you to screen films to your television, on your desktop or laptop computer system, or via your tablet or mobile phone.The online festival is available at:https://ndhr2020.eventive.orgYou can also find a link to the online festival on our main website at:www.ndhr.orgCreate Your Log-inWhen you make your first purchase of a pass or individual ticket, you will be asked to create an Eventive log-in. You will need this to sign in on your devices to watch.Once you’ve created your login and purchased a pass or ticket, simply go to the film or program you would like to view and click “Unlock.” You’ll have immediate access to the film on any of your devices!Watch on Your Television Eventive allows you to screen the films in the festival via your television several ways: If you're an AppleTV or Roku device user, you can download the Eventive App from the app store to your device. Once the application is installed, you'll receive instructions on how to link your device with your online profile.Alternatively, you can cast from your browser to your SmartTV.Please note that you must first unlock content on a computer or mobile device before you can view it via either of the apps.Watch on Another DeviceDon’t use an AppleTV or Roku device? No problem. You can still experience the festival from your desktop, laptop, tablet or mobile device. Simply go to www.ndhr2020.eventive.org and purchase your pass or ticket, go to the film or program you would like to view and click “Unlock.” You’ll have immediate access to the film on any of your devices!Video on DemandNearly all of the films in the festival are available Video On Demand. That means you can watch films as your schedule allows. Please RememberDue to licensing restrictions, certain films may be limited to their screening radius or screen-ing time. Be sure to review the requirements of a particular film prior to purchasing a pass or ticket.Once you hit play, you have 7-days to watch that feature or shorts package. You can pause, stop, and restart at any time during that time period.You can only watch from one device at a time. If you are experiencing technical diculties, click on ‘Need Help?’ from your browser.Films in the NDHRFF have not been rated for content. Viewer discretion is advised.

6ContentsWelcome 3Tickets 4How to Watch 5Award Winners 7Panel Discussions 22Schedule At-A-Glance 28Feature Films 30Shorts Programs 46

Award Winners“Tent 113, Idomèni” | Directed by Henri Marbacher | 2019

Directed by Leanne Pooley Language EnglishCountry of Origin New ZealandThe Girl On The Bridge is the story of a young woman with the weight of a generation on her shoulders. Having survived her own suicidal struggles Jazz Thornton is a mental health activist, fighting to change how society and the system are dealing with young people like her. Ultimately this is a film about hope. It’s a film about redemption. It’s a challenge to all of us to try to understand.8AWARD WINNER: THE GIRL ON THE BRIDGESAMUEL SPRYNCZYNATYK STORYTELLER AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

Samuel Sprynczynatyk is an independent filmmaker in Bismarck, North Dakota. His documentaries are best known for their ability to capture his subjects’ human spirit through extraordinary storytelling.In June of 2018, Sam suered a heart attack. Rushed to the hospital, he promptly suered a second and red-lined. After emergency surgery, doctors cooled his body to preserve brain function. He was in a coma for a week and two days. His family was not sure he would survive. Fortunately, he did. After substantial rehabilitation, Sam has returned to capturing the stories of our neighbors and community.The Human Family created the Samuel Sprynczynatyk Storyteller Award for Best Documentary feature for two reasons: For Sam, as a reminder for him to know how important talents are to the community. Sam is valued as an artist, a filmmaker, and as a friend. Second, to recognize feature documentary films for outstanding storytelling and for their ability to capture the essence of the human spirit, just as Sam has and continues to do. 9SAMUEL SPRYNCZYNATYK STORYTELLER AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

“A film that makes the invisible visible, looking at what we prefer not to see, a reality profoundly human that has ceased to exist for us.”Joan is an alcoholic homeless who survives in Barcelona streets with his dog, Tuc. After a mysterious phone call, Joan falls into a crazy drunkenness in which ends up losing Tuc. Castaway in the city, he is soon brutally beaten. We rediscover him away from the city in a delirious journey that exceeds all his limits. At the end of the road, something that was once his home. And a deathbed.Directed by Xesc Cabot & Pep Garrido Language EnglishCountry of Origin Spain10AWARD WINNER: OUTSIDE BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE

The Jury recognizes Enrci Molina for his extrodinary performance as Joan in Outside.11AWARD WINNER: ENRIC MOLINA BEST PERFORMANCE - ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Directed by Maggie Zhu Language EnglishCountry of Origin United StatesIn the United States, the average life expectancy of black transwomen is 35 years old.In this social thriller, Tonia Stanwell finds herself on a nightmarish quest through a mysterious government agency to get to her 36th birthday.12AWARD WINNER: 35 BEST STUDENT FILM

Agìr, a smiling and discreet 19 year old, tells the story of his migration. His journey from Syria to Switzerland spans several years, rushes from boats to buses, lingers from shacks to mosques, crosses camps and borders. From this chaotic construction, a fragmented, unequal narrative emerges. Constructed of short capsules, it is this journey that the animated film puts into action through Agìr’s voice-over.Directed by Henri Marbacher Languages French, KurdishCountry of Origin Switzerland13AWARD WINNER: TENT 113, IDOMÈNI BEST ANIMATED FILM

Directed by Tathagata Ghosh Language BengaliCountry of Origin IndiaManob is in love with another man, and has a price to pay for that. Not only is he fighting the society around him, but his own homophobic father, who does not even refrain from physical violence to “cure his son from the disease of loving another man”. Cornered between his father’s expections, the desires of his lovers, and his personal idenity, Manob now has to make a choice between giving up his struggle or standing up for who he truly is.14AWARD WINNER: MISS MANMIA EH’DESH COURAGE AWARD FOR BEST NARRATIVE SHORT

15MIA EH’DESH COURAGE AWARD FOR BEST NARRATIVE SHORTThe Mia Eh’Desh Courage Award for Best Narrative Short recognizes those films and filmmakers who have demonstrated extraordinary courage in filmmaking and storytelling.The award is named in the spirit of RuthAnna Bualo. Bualo, Mia Eh’Desh or Woman Appears, is an enrolled citizen of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation and a descendant of the Chiricahua Apache. She is a member of the Dripping Earth clan and from Mandaree.In 2018, RuthAnna was the first Native American Democratic woman elected to the North Dakota Legislature. She unseated State Representative Randy Boehning, the primary sponsor of a voter ID law designed to disenfranchise Native Americans from voting. In her first year in the legislature, RuthAnna sponsored and led the passage of bills ranging from the collection of missing and murdered indigenous peoples, human tracking, and child care assistance.Bualo has selflessly devoted herself and career to improving the health and lives of the public. Her background includes health and wellness, public health, research, policy, and education.

Cowboy Poetry is a work of visual music recorded during a series of live audiovisual performances. The audio is created with a combination of hand made electronic instruments and vector imagery that has been translated into stereo audio. This audio is visualized on an oscilloscope and documented during the performance. The work is inspired by socio-political and theoretical ideas surrounding nationalism and Americana.Directed by Mark Franz & David Colagiovanni Language EnglishCountry of Origin United States16AWARD WINNER: COWBOY POETRY RAYMOND REA CREATIVE EXPRESSION AWARD FOR EXPERIMENTAL FILM

The Raymond Rea Creative Expression Award for Best Experimental Film recognizes those films and filmmakers who have demonstrated extraordinary creativity in experimental filmmaking.The award is named in the spirit of Raymond Rea, a filmmaker, and writer. He worked for over a decade with San Francisco’s Theatre Rhubarb, a company dedicated to staging rarely seen and risk-taking theatre works. His own production company, Density Over Duration, has produced 8 stage works, eight short films, and an experimental narrative feature. His film and video work has screened nationally and internationally. Ray’s writing has been produced at EXIT Stage Left, EXIT Mainstage, BUILD, and the Theatre Rhino in San Francisco. Grants include awards from the Mas-sachusetts Council on the Arts, The Vermont Council on the Arts, The Film Arts Foundation (Personal Works), The Arts Partnership, and the LRAC Literary/Performance Fellowship, funded by the McKnight Foundation. He is the founder of the Fargo-Moorhead LGBT Film Festival and now teaches film/video production in Northern Minnesota.17RAYMOND REA CREATIVE EXPRESSION AWARD FOR BEST EXPERIMENTAL FILM

The Jury recognizes Vanessa Chisakula for her extrodinary performance in Her Place.18AWARD WINNER: VANESSA CHISAKULA BEST PERFORMANCE - ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Lost Lives is a cinematic film inspired by the book of the same name that, uniquely, records the circumstances of every single death in a conflict – the Northern Irish ‘Troubles.’ There are over 3700 entries in the book. Over 3700 lost lives. The film is a reminder of whathappens when we settle dierence through violence. A reminder that war is hell.Directed by Michael Hewitt & Dermot Lavery Languages EnglishCountry of Origin United Kingdom19AWARD WINNER: LOST LIVESBEST OF SHOW

The Jury recognizes Denis Dobrovoda for his exceptional writ-ing of Savage.The script tells the story of a man brought over from Africa to serve as an exhibit at a British colonialexposition tries to escape his captors and recover his dignity.Directed and Written by Denis Dobrovoda Language EnglishCountry of Origin United Kingdom20AWARD WINNER: SAVAGE BEST SCREENPLAY

Over 3,000 migrants have died trying to cross the Sonoran Desert. The only marker for where their anonymous bodies were found: a red dot on a digital map. Artist Alvaro Enciso is on a mission to mark the places these people died, to find a way to honour his “neighbours” and create a visual remembrance of their struggle. For the past 9 years he has been placing home made crosses in the desert, leaving a signpost that a human being lost their life in this place. He’s placed more than 900 of these markers and yet it’s a task he will not complete in his lifetime.Directed by Will Francome & Katie Green Languages EnglishCountry of Origin United States21AWARD WINNER: THE MARKER BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT

Panel Discussions“Her Place” | Directed by Gustavo Garcia Solares | 2020

8:00 P.M. CST |Live on FacebookJoin the North Dakota Human Rights Film Festival for a special 5-year retrospective of the award-winning film, Welcome to Leith. Documenting events that began in 2015, the film chronicles the attempted takeover of a small town in North Dakota by notorious white supremacist Craig Cobb. Filmed in the days leading up to Cobb’s arrest for terrorizing the townspeople on an armed patrol and his subsequent release from jail six months later, the film is an eerie document of American ideals.Was the film a precursor to the rise in white supremacy movements around the country? Co-directors Michael Nichols and Christo-pher Walker return virtually to North Dakota to reflect on the film within the context of an openly racist presidential administration and a national crisis in race relations. Free and open to the publicNichols and Walker will be joined by: Ryan Lenz, the independent journalist who broke the story about Cobb’s intentions; Jaylani Hussain, Executive Director of CAIR-Minnesota; and community activist Wess Philome.23LIVE CONVERSATION FILMMAKER QUESTION & ANSWER SESSIONMONDAY, NOVEMBER 9JAYLANI HUSSAINRYAN LENZCHRISTOPHER WALKERMICHAEL NICHOLS WESS PHILOMECOMMUNITY ACTIVISTEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR,CAIR MINNESOTAINDEPENDENT JOURNALISTCO-DIRECTORWELCOME TO LEITHCO-DIRECTORWELCOME TO LEITH

Join host Kahstoserakwathe Paulette Moore for a conversation with Katsitsionni Fox about her film, Without A Whisper – Konnon:Kwe Without A Whisper – Konnon:Kwe is the untold story of how Indigenous women influenced the early suragists in their fight for freedom and equality. Mohawk Clan Mother Louise Herne and Professor Sally Roesch Wagner shake the foundation of the established history of the women’s rights movement in the United States. They join forces on a journey to shed light on the hidden history of the influence of Haudenosaunee Women on the women’s rights movement, possibly changing this historical narrative forever. Katsitsionni Fox has been making films since 2003 in the Mohawk Territory of Akwesasne, where she resides. Her credits include A short drama related to the traditional uses of tobacco, as well as several short films relating to domestic violence awareness and environmental awarenessKahstoserakwathe Paulette Moore is an independent filmmaker, lecturer, artist and educator. Moore is Kanyen’kehàka (Mohawk) and an enrolled member of Six Nations of the Grand River territory where she is based.248:00 P.M. CST |Live on FacebookFree and open to the publicLIVE CONVERSATION FILMMAKER QUESTION & ANSWER SESSIONTUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10KATSITSIONNI FOXDIRECTOR & PRODUCERWITHOUT A WHISPERKAHSTOSERAKWATHE PAULETTE MOORE FILMMAKER, ARTIST, AND EDUCATOR

Join host Chalsey Snyder for a conversation with Willow O’Feral, director of Sisters Rising, and Lisa Brunner, one of six women featured in the film. Native American women are 2.5 times more likely to experience sexual assault than all other American women. 1 in 3 Native women report having been raped during her lifetime and 86% of the oenses are committed by non-Native men. These perpetrators exploit gaps in tribal jurisdictional authority and target Native women as ‘safe victims.’ Sisters Rising follows six women who refuse to let this pattern of violence continue in the shadows. Their stories shine an unflinching light on righting injustice on both an individual and systemic level.Willow O’Feral is an award-winning director, producer and cinematographer. She is also a co-founder of Haptic Pictures, a production company producing beautiful original content around pressing issues of social justice.Lisa Brunner is a member of the White Earth Ojibwe Nation and is Wolf Clan. She has worked in the domestic violence and sexual assault field for over 18 years, and is a founding mem-ber of the Violence Against Women Task Force. Lisa is a 2016 Bush Fellow and teaches at White Earth Tribal and Community College. LIVE CONVERSATION FILMMAKER QUESTION & ANSWER SESSIONChalsey Snyder, also featured in the film, is an enrolled member of the Three Aliated Tribes, a mother, lawmaker, policy changer and stage four cancer survivor. She also serves as the Executive Director of the Indigenous Association.258:00 P.M. CST |Live on FacebookFree and open to the publicWEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11WILLOW O’FERALDIRECTOR & PRODUCERSISTERS RISINGLISA BRUNNEREDUCATOR AND LEGAL ADVOCATECHALSEY SNYDEREXECUTIVE DIRECTORINDIGENOUS ASSOCIATION

8:00 P.M. CST |Live on FacebookFree and open to the publicLIVE CONVERSATION FILMMAKER QUESTION & ANSWER SESSIONJoin North Dakota filmmaker Justin Deegan for a conversation about his film, Another Scar of Genocide: Diabetes in Indian Country. This project is a documentary designed to bring awareness to the epidemic of diabetes throughout Indian Country.Fashion designer Darlene Perkins of Red Lightning Couture uses her fashion shows as a vehicle to bring awareness to this serious Indigenous health crisis. Her newfound Indigenous celebrity alliances join her to raise awareness about the silent epi-demic ravaging Indian Country.Justin Deegan is a citizen of the Three Aliated Tribes, from the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation and home of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation.THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1226JUSTIN DEEGANDIRECTOR & PRODUCERANOTHER SCAR OF GENOCIDE

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282020 SCHEDULESunday, November 81PM2PM3PM4 PM5 PM6 PM7 PM8 PM9 PM8:00 pmWelcome to Leith PanelAvailable at the NDHRFFFacebook pageMonday, November 91PM2PM3PM4 PM5 PM6 PM7 PM8 PM9 PM8:00 pmWithout A Whisper PanelAvailable at the NDHRFFFacebook pageTuesday, November 101PM2PM3PM4 PM5 PM6 PM7 PM8 PM9 PMOPENING DAYFILMS BECOME AVAILABLEAT 12 A.M. CSTFILMS ARE AVAILABLEVIDEO ON DEMAND

WHAT WAS OURSThe film WHAT WAS OURs is available for screening from 12:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m.NDHRC Human Rights Summit and Arc of Justice AwardsJoin the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition for their annual human rights summit. Learn more about the online event at ndhrc.org298:00 pmSisters Rising PanelAvailable at the NDHRFFFacebook page2020 SCHEDULEWednesday, November 111PM2PM3PM4 PM5 PM6 PM7 PM8 PM9 PM8:00 pmAnother Scar of GenocideDiscussionAvailable at the NDHRFFFacebook pageThursday, November 121PM2PM3PM4 PM5 PM6 PM7 PM8 PM9 PMSaturday, November 141PM2PM3PM4 PM5 PM6 PM7 PM8 PM9 PMONE MORE DAYFILMS BECOME ARE AVAILABLETHROUGH SUNDAY AT11:59 P.M. CST10AM

Feature Films“What Was Ours” | Directed by Mat Hames | 20167

This project is a documentary designed to bring awareness to the epidemic of diabetes throughout Indian Country. Fashion designer Darlene Perkins of Red Lightning Couture uses her fashion shows as a vehicle to bring awareness to this serious Indigenous health crisis. Her new found Indigenous celebrity alliances join her to raise awareness.Directed by Justin DeeganYear 2019 | 53 min Languages EnglishCountry of Origin United StatesANOTHER SCAR OF GENOCIDEDIABETES IN INDIAN COUNTRY Live Filmmaker Q&A Thursday, November 12 at 8 p.m.31

William Kelly, widely considered the social conscience of Australian art, once said “Art can’t stop a bullet, but it can stop a bullet from being fired.” Can it?Filmed on five continents, with contributions from over twenty artists, thinkers and activists, this documentary explores the power of art to influence the violence in our world.The film documents the creation of Kelly’s monumental artwork “Peace or War/The Big Picture”. Directed by Mark StreetYear 2019 | 90 min Languages EnglishCountry of Origin AustraliaCAN ART STOP A BULLET? WILLIAM KELLY’S BIG PICTURE Prerecorded filmmaker Q&A available32

A documentary exploring the rise of Populism during the U.S. Election in 2016.Combining the contrasting genres of road movie and political documen-tary, A Conversation With America is an artists attempt to understand modern America.Through the adventure, a picture of a dierent America emerges, a portrait composed of the voices of people in motels, factories, homeless shelters, small businesses, opium dens, and the streets.Directed by Jim KroftYear 2020 | 95 min Languages EnglishCountry of Origin United StatesA CONVERSATION WITH AMERICAPrerecorded Filmmaker Q&A available33

In a sleepy North Dakota town, 20-year-old college student Andrew Sadek mysteriously disappears in May 2014 and is found dead almost two months later. Sadek had been coerced into becoming an informant for an aggressive police task force that had been secretly operating for years. The film uncovers the forces at play in his death and reveals why law enforcement secretly waged a war on drugs, on a college campus that didn’t have a drug problem.Directed by Trevor BirneyYear 2020 | 90 min Languages EnglishCountry of Origin IrelandTHE DAKOTA ENTRAPMENT TAPES34

The Girl On The Bridge is the story of a young woman with the weight of a generation on her shoulders. Having survived her own suicidal struggles Jazz Thornton is a mental health activist, fighting to change how society and the system are dealing with young people like her.Ultimately this is a film about hope. It’s a film about redemption. It’s a challenge to all of us to try to understand.Directed by Leanne Pooley Year 2020 | 92 min Languages EnglishCountry of Origin New ZealandTHE GIRL ON THE BRIDGE Prerecorded Filmmaker Q&A available35

The forest has always served as a playground for art, mythology and fantasies, and as a mirror of man’s own interior. We get to follow artists and activists who talk about how their lives and works were aected by the forest. What is lost in ourselves when the wild nature is forced back, when the experience of being part of a living environment breaks down?Directed by Thomas Jackson Year 2019 | 58 min Languages SwedishCountry of Origin SwedenINNER WOODS36

Lost Lives is a cinematic film inspired by the book of the same name that, uniquely, records the circumstances of every single death in a conflict – the Northern Irish ‘Troubles.’ There are over 3700 entries in the book. Over 3700 lost lives.The film is a reminder of what happens when we settle dierence through violence. A reminder that war is hell.Directed by Michael Hewitt & Dermot Lavery Year 2019 | 92 min Languages EnglishCountry of Origin United KingdomLOST LIVESPrerecorded Filmmaker Q&A available37

When Explorer left Honduras, she left everything behind. In the middle of the night, she didn’t have the chance to ask where she was going, but she’s never afraid, her father is always there taking care of her. This Honduran family traveled to Mexico looking for a safe place. A place where their two daughters could grow and their lives weren’t on the line. This is a brief chapter of this family’s journey to protect their daughters’ lives and their innocence.Directed by Janette A. López Year 2019 | 65 min Languages SpanishCountry of Origin MexicoNEVER GOING BACK38

Joan is an alcoholic homeless who survives in Barcelona streets with his dog Tuc. After a mysterious phone call, Joan falls into a crazydrunkenness in which ends up losing Tuc. Castaway in the city, he is soon brutally beaten. We rediscover him away from the city in a delirious journey that exceeds all his limits. At the end of the road, something that was once his home. And a deathbed.The film stars real people and the main character had actually been homeless himself prior to this film.Directed by Xesc Cabot & Pep Garrido Year 2019 | 65 min Languages SpanishCountry of Origin SpainOUTSIDE39

In 2019, after months of protests across Sudan, the military removed thirty-year dictator Omar al-Bashir and cracked down in a violent fashion on the civilian sit-in outside its headquarters. An ocean away, Sudanese-American poets and musicians, whose families left Sudan for America in decades past, gather in major American cities to perform in support of the revolution. At the heart of the film is a conversation around identity, belonging, and the uncertain future of Sudan, from which they have been physically cut o. What happens when they can only watch from afar?Directed by Bentley Brown Year 2020 | 67 min Languages Arabic, EnglishCountry of Origin United StatesREVOLUTION FROM AFAR40

Native American survivors of sexual assault fight for tribal sovereignty in order to end the rape of Indigenous women against the backdrop of an ongoing legacy of violent colonization. Sisters Rising follows six women who refuse to let this pattern of violence continue in the shadows. Their stories shine an unflinching light on righting injustice on both an individual and systemic level.Directed by Willow O’Feral Year 2020 | 58 min Languages EnglishCountry of Origin United StatesSISTERS RISINGLive Filmmaker Q&A Wednesday, November 11 at 8 p.m.41

Undeterred tells the story of the build up of enforcement along the US/ Mexico border, how it has aected and changed life in one small town and how local residents have organized to push back and resist those changesDirected by Eva Lewis Year 2019 | 76 min Languages English, SpanishCountry of Origin United StatesUNDETERRED42

Special Five-Year Anniversary Screening to be followed by a Q&A with directors Michael Beach Nichols and Christopher K. Walker.Welcome to Leith is a feature documentary chronicling the attempted takeover of a small town in North Dakota by notorious white supremacist Craig Cobb. Filmed in the days leading up to Cobb’s arrest for terrorizing the townspeople on an armed patrol and his subsequent release from jail six months later, the film is an eerie document of American ideals.Directed by Michael Beach Nichols & Christopher K. Walker Year 2015 | 85 min Languages English Country of Origin United StatesWELCOME TO LEITHLive Filmmaker Q&A Monday, November 9 at 8 p.m.43

An Eastern Shoshone Elder and two Northern Arapaho youth living on the Wind River Indian Reservation attempt to learn why thousands of ancestral artifacts are in the darkness of underground archives of museums and churches, boxed away and forgotten. These ancestral objects – drums, pipes, eagle wing fans, medicine bags, weapons, and ceremonial attire are far from home, their meaning slowly being lost to time. Should tribes attempt to bring them back? But why do they want them back? What answers do they seek from these artifacts? How can they take control of their own past?Directed by Mat Hames Year 2016 | 79 min Languages English Country of Origin United StatesWHAT WAS OURS44

In Porto Alegre, a group of homeless people makes and sells its own newspaper, the “Boca de Rua”, the only in the world that gives a point of view from the streets about the streets. More than a source of income for its writers, it became an essential reporting channel and organization tool in the city where they live. Today, the “Boca” is celebrating its 18th birthday. However, if there was only one shared idea between all the participants of the project, it would certainly be their desire not to be alone in this struggle.Directed by Charlotte Dafol Year 2020 | 113 min Languages Portuguese Country of Origin BrazilWITH OPEN EYES45

Shorts Programs“Last Memory” | Directed by Neil P George | 2019

Shorts Program 135Directed by Maggie ZhuYear 2020 | 15 min 16 secondsGenre Student Film Language(s) EnglishCountry of Origin United StatesIn this social thriller, Tonia Stanwell finds herself on a nightmarish quest through a mysterious government agency to get to her 36th birthday.The Marker Prerecorded Filmmaker Q&A availableDirected by Will Francome & Katie GreenYear 2020 | 12 minGenre Documentary ShortLanguage(s) EnglishCountry of Origin United StatesOver 3000 migrants have died trying to cross the Sonoran Desert. The only marker for where their anonymous bodies were found: a red dot on a digital map. Artist Alvaro Enciso is on a mission to mark the places these people died, to find a way to honour his “neighbours” and create a visual remembrance of their struggle. For the past 9 years he has been placing home made crosses in the desert, leaving a signpost that a human being lost their life in this place. He’s placed more than 900 of these markers and yet it’s a task he will not complete in his lifetime.About HerDirected by Wagner Cinelli Year 2020 | 5 minGenre Animation Language(s) English, Portuguese Country of Origin BrazilABOUT HER deals with a sad and unfortunate worldwide issue: domestic violence against women. It is a silent animation movie. The images that alternate between past and present are enough to convey the message: we urgently need to talk about it. We must do it before it is too late.47

Shorts Program 1Missionaries of the RainDirected by Jimena Paz Year 2019 | 27 minGenre Documentary ShortLanguage(s) SpanishCountry of Origin MexicoIn the central highlands of Mexico, a group of farmers, resisting modernity, keep on with the tradition of rain petition rituals. With enormous responsibility, they assume the mission to protect and restore their sacred sites in order to harmonize climatic balance and assure rains and food for the entire world.Unlearning SexA front row seat to a survivor’s six-month journey through sexual trauma therapy & healing, and reclaiming her body. Directed by Zanah Thirus Year 2020 | 39 minGenre Documentary ShortLanguage(s) EnglishCountry of Origin United StatesShorts Program 2Altab Ali and the Battle of Brick LaneDirected by Diwas Bisht Year 2020 | 15 min 16 secondsGenre Animation Language(s) EnglishCountry of Origin United KingdomA short animated documentary that explores the events surrounding the racist killing of Altab Ali, a young Bangladeshi worker in east London in the late 1970s. It tells the tale of the wide-spread racism faced by the Bangladeshi com-munity living in east London at the time and how the incident inspired a generation of Bangla-deshis to join hands in the fight against the racist forces. Using interviews of the activists involved in the anti-racist struggle and striking contrasting imagery, the film tells the tale of the event that marks a turning point in London’s race relations.48

Shorts Program 2Without a WhisperLive Filmmaker Q&A Tuesday, November 10 at 8 p.m.Directed by Katsitsionni FoxYear 2020 | 27 minGenre Documentary ShortLanguage(s) EnglishCountry of Origin United StatesWITHOUT A WHISPER - KONNON:KWE uncovers the hidden history of the profound influence Indigenous women had on the beginnings of the women’s rights movement in the United States. Miss ManPrerecorded Filmmaker Q&A availableDirected by Tathagata Ghosh Year 2019 | 24 minGenre Documentary ShortLanguage(s) BengaliCountry of Origin IndiaManob is in love with another man. And he has a price to pay for that. Not only is he fighting the society around him, but his own homophobic father, who does not even refrain from physical violence to “cure his son from the disease of loving another man.”Broke is the ReasonDirected by Barrington Vaxter & Benjamin Handler Year 2020 | 8 minGenre Narrative Short Language(s) EnglishCountry of Origin United StatesAfter turning his child’s blankets into a rope, and scaling a balcony to escape the IRS, Barrington finds himself a homeless father who will do anything to keep what he hasn’t lost already.49

Shorts Program 2Ours to TellWithout shame and without fear OURS TO TELL depicts four people who share their stories and walk in their truth. By owning the lives they choose, what unfolds is an unfiltered and poetic demonstration of how the right to access abortion acts as a dynamic turning point in an individual’s journey to freedom and self love. Each with dierent per-spectives and experiences, the film’s subjects — Brittany, Hannah, Nick and Ylonda — take us inside their worlds, their families, their souls and boldly illustrate the beauty and power of bodily autonomy. As we watch, listen and love each storyteller, we also bear witness to a chilling real-ity: The fundamental freedom to own our body and future has never been more uncertain than it is today.Directed by Rayka Zehtabchi Year 2020 | 17 minGenre Documentary ShortLanguage(s) EnglishCountry of Origin United StatesShorts Program 3Tent 113, IdomèniDirected by Henri Marbacher Year 2019 | 18 minGenre Animation Language(s) French, KurdishCountry of Origin SwitzerlandAgìr, a smiling and discreet 19 year old, tells the story of his migration. His journey from Syria to Switzerland spans several years, rushes from boats to buses, lingers from shacks to mosques, crosses camps and borders. From this chaotic construction, a fragmented, unequal narrative emerges. Constructed of short capsules, it is this journey that the animated film puts into action through Agìr’s voice-over.50

Shorts Program 3Last MemoryDirected by Neil P GeorgeYear 2019 | 12 minGenre Narrative ShortLanguage(s) English, KoreanCountry of Origin KoreaBy the time refugees and migrants step onto a boat, many will have been tortured, raped, held for ransom, and seen people die around them. These refugees risk everything to make the treacherous journey as their lives they leave back home pose a greater threat than the sea.The Last Memory is a poetic homage to the death of a young Yemeni champion, who tragi-cally lost his life at sea, whilst seeking refuge from the ongoing war in Yemen.SavageDirected by Denis Dobrovoda Year 2018 | 14 minGenre Narrative ShortLanguage(s) EnglishCountry of Origin United KingdomA man brought over from Africa to serve as an exhibit at a British colonial exposition tries to escape his captors and recover his dignity.Mirage Prerecorded Filmmaker Q&A availableDirected by Luis R. Quintero Year 2019 | 9 minGenre Narrative Short Language(s) SpanishCountry of Origin United StatesMIRAGE is a tale of magical realism that takes you on one girl’s journey, daydreaming through mystical locations, hoping to be reunited with her parents as she awaits captive in a U.S. detention center.51

Shorts Program 3Cowboy PoetryCOWBOY POETRY is a work of visual music recorded during a series of live audiovisual performances. The audio is created with a combination of hand made electronic instruments and vector imagery that has been translated into stereo audio. This audio is visualized on an oscilloscope and documented during the performance. The work is inspired by socio-political and theoretical ideas surrounding nationalism and Americana. Directed by Mark Franz and David ColagiovanniYear 2019 | 3 minGenre ExperimentalLanguage(s) EnglishCountry of Origin United StatesExecution IslandIn February 2006, two young Australians were convicted of drug smuggling in Indonesia and were sentenced to death by firing squad. During their 9 years in prison, Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan were rehabilitated and began many positive activities within the prison, such as mentoring other prisoners and helping to teach English.Directed by Jamie HumphrisYear 2018 | 13 minGenre Narrative ShortLanguage(s) EnglishCountry of Origin South AfricaEat the RainbowA musical fable about an odd yet kind man named Bayani who moves into a conservative suburban neighborhood and disrupts the other-wise comfortable homogeny. He doesn’t look or act like anyone else which causes fear and panic and eventually a demand for him to leave the neighborhood. Cousin Wonderlette befriends Bayani and together they take on the opposition led by manipulative and unscrupulous realtor Lobelia Gerber.Directed by Brian BensonYear 2018 | 19 minGenre Narrative ShortLanguage(s) EnglishCountry of Origin United States52

Shorts Program 4Her PlaceDirected by Gustavo Garcia Solares Year 2020 | 6 min Genre Narrative Short Language(s) EnglishCountry of Origin GuatemalaVanessa tells us to our face what her place in this world is.La TravesíaDirected by Edio Raven Year 2020 | 20 min Genre Narrative Short Language(s) Spanish Country of Origin VenezuelaTwo Venezuelan brothers migrate to Colombia after the situation in their home country becomes unbearable, but everything turns upside down after they get robbed and have to continue their hundred mile journey without money or food.Human Voices: The CuratorDirected by Guero Year 2020 | 5 min Genre Documentary Short Language(s) EnglishCountry of Origin United StatesHuman Voices presents “The Curator,” a dis-cussion with Joe Williams, Program Manager for Native American Programing at the Plains Art Museum and creator and interviewer of the podcast series, “Five Plain Questions.”53

The Greatest Battle Lies WithinDirected by Connor Price Year 2019 | 10 minGenre Student Film Language(s) English Country of Origin AustraliaPrior to his migration to Australia, Congolese playwright Future D. Fidel witnessed the deaths of both his parents and narrowly avoided being massacred alongside other villagers by rebel soldiers. His debut play and novel, Prize Fighter, draws on several of his experiences while using a boxing ring as a metaphor for his character Isa’s struggles with violence. The play has become a hit around Australia and for the La Boite Theatre Company. By detailing his story, Future is able to provide an example of how works of art and entertainment can be powerful tools of self-expression.Shorts Program 4Home: The Homelessness Crisis in North DakotaDirected by Sonya Jensen Year 2020 | 30 minGenre Documentary Short Language(s) English Country of Origin United StatesChapter Two of Home: The Homelessness Crisis in North Dakota explores North Dakota’s “boot-strap” mentality, deadly winter weather systems and the impact of the oil boom in the western half of the state.54

My God, I’m Queer (Vol. 1)Directed by Matt Mahmood-Ogston Year 2020 | 30 minGenre Documentary ShortLanguage(s) English Country of Origin United KingdomCan you be Muslim and gay? A bereaved fiancé goes on a deeply personal journey to prevent the tragedy from ever happening again.Being gay is still widely unaccepted within many conservative interpretations of Islam, with several countries around the world enforcing the death penalty for homosexuality. In this film Matt goes on a journey to try and understand the challeng-es of what it’s like to be queer and Muslim, in the hope of preventing another young LGBT+ person taking their own life.Until the Last DropDirected by Tim Webster & Ernesto Cabellos Year 2020 | 20minGenre Documentary ShortLanguage(s) Arabic, HebrewCountry of Origin United KingdomIn an occupied land where water is a privilege, two farmers working the same land face increasingly unequal opportunities. Despite being physically connected to the same land, the two farmers’ experiences are detached and unequal. However, despite the odds and an uncertain future for his children, Abu is determined to keep farming and keep resisting until the last drop.Shorts Programs (Individual)The ParkPrerecorded filmmaker Q&A availableDirected by Adam Hinkle Year 2020 | 20minGenre Episodic Series Language(s) EnglishCountry of Origin United StatesThe Park chronicles the trials and tribulations of a team of outreach workers as they race against the clock to prevent gun and gang violence in a Chicago neighborhood.55