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Film in new and different ways...I mean in the last decade we've seen the
really the importance and the growth of documentaries even in Toronto here
the Hot Docs Festival has gone from a smaller festival to one of the biggest
film festivals in the world and people are clearly empowered by, moved by
anticipating...documentaries like never before.
But, also the way film is being made, in particular take Iran as an example.
One of the most powerful and memorable, if not also comprehensive
looks at the Iranian Revolution of 1979, is Persepolis
by Marjane Satrapi based on
her graphic novel. It's an animated black and white film with a rock
soundtrack...so it's not a traditional kind of film and yet really impactful.
So, in short...yes film is still important, but also film being done in
different ways is also significant.
Well I mean the kind of content that is dealt with at this festival is
interestingly enough is more and more relevant to all of us. I mean
this moment is such an interesting one to be launching the Human Rights Watch
film festival for 2011 because of what is happening in the world.
People literally on the streets from Egypt to Bahrain to Iran to Yemen to
Wisconsin fighting for...protesting for democracy about rights
...human rights and in a lot of cases basic human rights.
The right to free assembly, the right to free speech, the right to have my
vote counted. So, in an interesting way it's always been important to
have this film festival, but it's particularly resonant in this moment.
And, I think that the curating they've done like the films that'll be shown
over the next couple of weeks are important and poignant and watchable.