A September 4 panel hosted by Venice FF will underline the current dramatic situation both of Afghan filmmakers and artists in general, the need to create humanitarian corridors and a guarantee that they will be granted the status of political refugees, in addition to concern about their future and the need to help them get settled once they reach Europe.
The panel discussion, the first initiative that La Biennale has dedicated to these themes, will be held at 3 pm at the Palazzo del Casinò (Lido di Venezia), in the Press conference room, and broadcast across media platforms.
Participants will include the Afghan filmmaker Sahraa Karimi, the first woman president of the Afghan Film Organisation and author of the recent appeal to raise awareness among the media, governments and humanitarian organisations around the world about the conditions in her Country.
The panel will be moderated by journalist Giuliano Battiston, who has dedicated his work since 2007 to Afghanistan, and will feature the participation of Afghan documentary filmmaker Sarah Mani (who is presenting a project at the CoProduction Market of the Venice Film Festival), Vanja Kaludjercic (Artistic Director of IFFR), Orwa Nyrabia (Artistic Director of IDFA, member of the board of the International Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk – ICFR), Matthijs Wouter Knol (Executive Director of the European Film Academy, ICFR board member) and Mike Downey (President of the European Film Academy, ICFR board member).
“We all have a duty of care in the international film community to do what we can to help the situation of filmmakers and Afghan artists in general,” says EFA and ICFR’s Downey, “and we are grateful to Alberto Barbera, Roberto Cicutto, the Mostra and the Biennale for this chance to discuss the ongoing terrible, dramatic situation. As evacuation flights draw to a close, there is now a clear need to create humanitarian corridors and guarantees that filmmakers and artists in danger and at risk can be granted the status of political refugees, in addition to concern about their future and the need to help them get settled once they reach Europe.
“Some countries are stepping up to the plate, others need a little more encouragement, but one thing is clear, our industry and our politicians need to engage themselves to avoid further human rights abuses.”
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