The world’s leading climate documentary films are set to screen in a special edition of the Tri Continental Human Rights Film Festival designed to inspire climate action and unite people in conversation around the United Nations’ Conference of Parties, COP17, climate conference taking place in Durban.
The TriContinental Climate Justice Film Festival brings together film enthusiasts and climate and social justice civil society delegates to be entertained, discuss and share the pressing issues that are impacting the world’s populace.
The festival, to be held in five venues in Durban from 26 November to 9 December, will showcase 24 documentary films, as well as a tell-all documentary being filmed by Uhuru Productions during COP17 that follows three women from African countries who travel to COP17 to deliver their plea to the delegates.
TCFF director and director of this COP17 documentary, Rehad Desai said: “Through the festival, we not only celebrate the world’s best climate and social justice documentaries, but also aim to inspire people to become engaged not only during COP17 but when everyone packs up and goes home.”
“We also strongly believe that because COP17 is in our backyard it’s vital that we use the opportunity of having the world’s eyes on us to tell African stories.”
“We have chosen a festival format to showcase both climate and social justice films that speak of the critical issues impacting people around the globe, with the aim of generating greater awareness, empathy and dialogue with the fantastic documentary content that is being made,” he added.
A festival highlight will be the launch of The Weather Gods on Wednesday 30 November at the Greenpeace Solar Tent, a joint Uhuru Production and Greenpeace film that looks at the impact of climate change on subsistence farmers in South Africa, Mali and Kenya.
Another festival highlight will be screenings of South African AIDS denial documentary, TAC: Taking HAART and the award-winning conservation tale, Green.
First premiered in September at the Tri Continental Human Rights Film Festival, TAC: Taking HAART, received widespread audience acclaim for its in-depth review of the impact of government sponsored AIDS denialism between 1999-2010; a period when over two million South Africans died of AIDs despite the existence of antiretroviral treatment. The screening on Monday 5 December will feature a Q&A with producer Jack Lewis.
A powerful story that follows the last days of a female orangutan as her forest home is raided, Green has won several awards including the Golden Panda Award and Natural History Museum Award, Wildscreen Film Festival, Bristol, 2010 and Grand Teton Award and Best Conservation Program, Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival, USA, 2009.
Participating venues include; People’s Space at the University of KwaZulu-Natal Howard Campus, The Bat Centre, Ekhaya Multi-Purpose Centre in Kwa Mashu, Greenpeace Solar Cinema North Beach and The Collective, Morningside. All films are open to the public and free of charge.
TCFF is Southern Africa’s only dedicated Human Rights film event.
For a full list of venues and to view program visit www.tcff.org.za
