Concerned about human rights? Looking for something engaging to watch once the Sochi Winter Olympics wrap up on Feb. 23?
Then get out your calendar and set aside the evenings Thursday and Friday (Feb. 27-28) for the annual return of the Bow Valley Justice Film Festival and its presentation of documentaries dedicated to human rights, the environment and food.
The BVJFF has moved to Solara Resort for this year’s offering of films as part of a partnership with Canmore Movies and films begin Thursday (Feb. 27) at 7 p.m. with Chasing Ice, which chronicles the effects of climate change in the Arctic followed by The Defector, a 72-minunte film that shares the story of the great lengths, risks and heartbreak North Korean defectors face as they attempt to flee their homeland to reach South Korea via a long, dangerous journey through China.
On Friday (Feb. 28), films begin at 5 p.m. with Plastic Paradise: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, followed by It’s a Girl at 7 p.m. and GMO OMG at 8:45 p.m.
And as it has in previous years, the BVJFF will host post-film discussions led by a discussion leader, usually an expert in that particular field or topic.
Ruth Kerr, one of the festival organizers and The Defector discussion leader, said while she’s not an expert on what is occurring inside North Korea and the challenges North Korean refugees face, she hopes to lead a stimulating discussion nonetheless.
“North Korea has been a really interesting place to be for a long time, especially now with (North Korean leader) Kim Jung Un. With the recent execution of his uncle in December and now an upcoming summit with North and South Korea, everybody is hoping that this could be a way, if families can’t be reunited, that maybe there can be more communication,” Kerr said.
“North Korea has one of the most brutal and most oppressive governments and they say as soon as you are born the brainwashing begins and added to that is the UN report saying there are crimes against humanity.”
Kerr said she is hoping her interview with Randall Baron-Chong, executive director for the Toronto-based not-for-profit HanVoice that advocates for human rights in North Korea and helps resettle North Korean refugees, will provide a greater understanding of the issues.
“I think it will help shed more light on that sort of thing. There’s a well-established route of escaping North Korea. One of the famous ones crosses a river into China when Chinese officials were looking the other way,” she said. “People cross and get into China and then make their way down, greasing the palms of people to pay their way to get through China and into South Korea and from there they can stay in South Korea or go onto other countries.”
And often, when a young man or woman defects, their family will be imprisoned.
“It’s something they have to do to leave North Korea and gain their freedom, but the price they have to do to do that is heartbreaking,” Kerr said.
Go to www.justicefilmfestival.ca or www.cause.ca/bvjff for a full schedule and descriptions of each film.
Admission to the BVJFF is free but donations are accepted.
