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Greening Screen
Following on from Metro Screen's The Greener Screen event we would like to say: When preparing your next project, we ask that you consider how you can work to make your production greener. This does not have to be an...
This Life Explored
(NSW)
Lester Bostock Metro Screen Patron
(NSW)
Controversial Joaquin Phoenix Film to Release in Australia
Sydney, Melbourne, Perth(Nationwide)
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AFTRS Opens its Doors on Open Day
Australia’s premier film, television and radio school is set to hold its opening days in Sydney and Melbourne over the coming days...
Working for Change
We speak to award-winning Aussie filmmaker, Genevieve Clay, about her role in the first ever Live & Love Short Film Competition.
Different Focus
The Focus on Ability Festival recently wrapped for its second year and we spoke to the festival’s founder and this year’s winner.
Kick Starting Talent
M2 Entertainment (M2E) has relaunched as a film finance and production company which aims to nurture emerging and established talent.
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Response to: The Truth Is Out There. Day 9 of the Sydney Film Festival. A Daily Blog.
Kamal Fedal, Western Sahara Representative to Australia, responds to our reportage of the controversial Sydney Film Fest screening of 'Stolen'.
I’d like to draw your attention to some serious issues related to this film: concerns relating to the truth; copyrights; ethical conduct; consent and individual rights.
Since the screening of “Stolen” during the Sydney Film Festival on 11 June 2009, few important issues have come to light: http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2009/06/15/2598994.htm
"Stolen" is seriously misleading in alleging slavery in the camps and it misuses the story of Fetim Sellami who withdrew her consent, as have most of the other Saharawis who were filmed.
The following are some of the main problems with “Stolen”:
Most of the translation Hassania (local language) into English is completely wrong.
Many of the scenes in the film were constructed (acted, cut and mixed to give certain false impressions…etc) so this is not a documentary.
The filmmakers have included in the film footage shot by an American cameraman called Carlos Gonzales without his permission. This is a breach of copyrights. The filmmakers have now been forced to delete that part of the film.
Saharawis involved in the film have testified that they were given money to speak: Please check: http://media.smh.com.au/entertainment/red-carpet/sahara-slavery-fiercely-denied-582354.html,
Screen Australia has admitted that it has no release (consent) signed or otherwise from the Saharawis involved in the documentary.
There is also a serious issue regarding the involvement of the Moroccan regime in the documentary and its use of the film as propaganda tool to harm the Saharawi struggle for freedom and self-determination.
For Australian media coverage on this controversy, Kamal has provided the following links:
The 7.30 Report: http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2009/06/15/2598994.htm
Bob Ellis article: http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/stories/s2598993.htm
http://media.smh.com.au/entertainment/red-carpet/sahara-slavery-fiercely-denied-582354.html (watch video).
http://artneuro.wordpress.com/2009/06/16/slave-to-the-funding/
http://www.smh.com.au/news/entertainment/film/sydney-film-festival-2009/protesters-step-up-campaign-to-have-slave-film-banned/2009/06/16/1244918036854.html
http://www.smh.com.au/news/entertainment/film/sydney-film-festival-2009/i-am-not-a-slave-says-film-subject/2009/06/11/1244664795732.html
Sunday 12:00 - ABC NewsRadio's 'Out of Africa' with Fiona Ellis-Jones ...
An in-depth look at African cultural, political and economic affairs, featuring news stories and extended interviews from across the continent: Listen : http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/newsradio/audio/20090614-outofafrica.mp3