Seven documentaries under the title Barrel of the Gun will be screened on Monday in the ongoing fifth Film South Asia (FSA) ’05 – a festival of documentaries –that kicked-off in Kathmandu at Kumari Hall, the commercial duplex cinema at Kamal Pokhari on Thursday.
Among 44 films the best film will be awarded the Ram Bahadur Trophy with cash award of US $ 2000. The film adjudged second best will receive a prize of US $ 1000. For the first time, a Best Debut Film award has been instituted, carrying a cash award of US $ 1000.
The Barrel of the Gun selection will include films from all over the world from Colombia to Cambodia, Rwanda to Bosnia-Herzogovina, Peru to Nepal. The films tackle a variety of themes from the way individuals cope with personal loss to a former UN commander coming in terms with the massacre he failed to prevent, the pursuit of justice against perpetrators of war crimes to internally displaced looking for new bearings.
In view of the ongoing conflict in Nepal and the rest of South Asia these films teach lessons from experiences elsewhere and will contribute to lasting peace all over.
The films to be screened at Kumari Hall on Monday as follows:
The Fall of Fujimori
A film directed by Ellen Perry will be screened at Hall A at 2.00 p.m. The film is a character driven political thriller exploring the volatile events that defined Alberto Fujimori’s decade-long reign as President of Peru. With unprecedented access to President Fujimori , the film is an intimate and often times, shocking look at a modern dictator caught in throes of battling terrorist insurgents.
Deacon of Death – Looking for Justice in Today’s Cambodia
A film directed by Jan van den Berg will be screened at Hall A at 3.45 p.m. The film portrays the atrocities Sok Chea witnessed as a child during the rule of Pol Pot continue to haunt her to this day, nearly 30 years later. So, she is shocked when she suddenly comes across the man who was in charge of her prison and whom she holds responsible for murdering most of her family.
Once again he holds a prominent position, this time as Deacon of Death or leader of cremation ceremonies. She decides to collect evidence against him. He must stand trial. But can she succeed in a country still ruled by fear, where justice is virtually non-existent and corruption endemic.
Checkpoint (Machssomim)
A film by Yoav Shamir will be screened at Hall A at 5.00 p.m. This film depicts the plight of Palestinians while crossing various checkpoints set-up by the Israeli authorities. The West Bank and Gaza strip have been under Israeli military authority since 1967.
Over three million Palestinians live under Israeli occupation. When traveling from one village or city to another to go to work, to visit relatives or to get medical treatment they must pass through Israeli checkpoints. These checkpoints, the first points of contact between the two people have an enormous significance in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The director filmed at these checkpoints from 2001-2003.
Archive of Identity (Archivo de la Identidad)
A film directed by Simone Duarte will be screened at Hall B at 2.30 p.m. This film shows a group of young adults who are digging the past, interviewing relatives and friends of the couples considered left wing who were disappeared by the regime and whose children were taken away.
Approximately 500 children born in captivity during the dictatorship in the late 70’s and early 80’s were kidnapped by the military. Most of them were given to officers and policemen who couldn’t have children.
Little Terrorist
A film directed by Ashvin Kumar, an actor and director in theatre will be screened at Hall B after the film Archive of Identity. This film is a story of a twelve-year-old Pakistani Muslim boy that mistakenly crosses the mine-field strewn border into India and finds an unusual alley-Bhola, a Hindu school teacher who must find a way of hiding him from Indian soldiers looking for the terrorist who crossed over.
Shake Hands with the Devil: The Journey of Roméo Dallaire
A film directed by Peter Raymont will be screened at Hall B at 3.30 p.m. This is the story of Canadian Lieutenant General Romeo Dallaire, whose controversial command of the United Nations mission to Rwanda during the 1994 genocide led to his own personal life tragedies, as he dealt with the fallout of the experience. The film is based on his recently released book and filmed during his return to the Rwanda killing fields.
Welcome to Colombia
A film directed by Catalina Villar will be screened at Hall B at 5.15 p.m. This film tries to depict the extreme complexity of Colombia’s situation. Two million people displaced, 35,000 murders per year, 70,000 anti personnel mines scattered all over the country, a kidnapping every ten minutes. This is the context of the new election time.