African Studies Media Catalog
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Archbishop Desmond Tutu speaking at the Emory University School of Law 1994 Religious Human Rights Conference (Videocassette : 43 min. ) [1994]
LAW Library VC No 450
Abstract: Archbishop Desmond Tutu's address at the 1994 conference on Religious Human Rights held at the Emory School of Law.
Director: NA Distributor:Emory University School of Law
Keywords: South Africa, Desmond Tutu, human rights, religion, law
Blood Stained Diamonds: The Diamond Empire (CD-ROM ) [2001]
HD9677 .A2 F59 2001
Abstract: CD-ROM contains both the documentary film The Diamond Empire and the companion e-book Blood Stained Diamonds. Central to the diamond's role as a romantic symbol is the belief that diamonds are one of the rarest, most precious gifts for a loved one. This documentary examines how the great myth about the scarcity of diamonds and their inflated value was created and maintained over the decades by the diamond cartel. The author has spoken publicly about what she sees as the international suppression of both the book and the film due to pressure from De Beers.
Director: Janine Farrell-Roberts Distributor:Impact Media
Keywords: diamonds, mining, politics, economic conditions, human rights
Born Slave (DVD : 52 min. ) [2004]
DVD 8215
Abstract: It is shocking to see that slavery still exists in contemporary Mauritania, even though it is outlawed on the books since 1981. It is estimated that there are 100,000 people enslaved there. This remarkable documentary, shot secretly by the production team disguised as tourists, provides the outside world's first look at this human rights abuse. The child of a slave woman belongs to her master. From the time it can walk, it is put to work and can also be given away to others. In the film we meet sixteen-year-old Bilal who was only two when his mother escaped and left him with his master. He finally ran away and found his mother in the slums of the capital. They describe their lives as mistreated and humiliated unpaid workers, explaining that the masters often use religion to frighten their slaves into submission. Boubacar Messaoud, leader of the organization SOS Slave, gives us the historical and sociological background of slavery.
Director: Helen Aastrup-Samuels and Bo Harringer Distributor:Filmakers Library
Keywords: Mauritania, slavery, human rights, labor
Drilling Fields (The) (Videocassette : 24 min. ) [1995]
V. CASS. VHS 5034
Abstract: Looks at the land rights dispute in the Niger Delta area between the Nigerian government, the indigenous Ogoni people and the Shell Oil Company (Part of the Cutting Edge series).
Director: Glenn Ellis Distributor:Catma Films
Keywords: Nigeria, Ogoni, human rights, pollution, environment, politics and government, history
Equatorial Guinea: Drowning in Oil? (DVD : 35 min. ) [2003]
DVD 8456
Abstract: In 1995, U.S. oil companies arrived in Equitorial Guinea in West Africa and found petroleum. Guinea has now become the third biggest oil-producing nation in sub-Saharan Africa, with production at 300,000 barrels a day. Because of its location, away from the Arabian peninsula, Guinea is important to the U.S. since it helps the U.S. in its goal to diversify its sources of oil. Throughout its Spanish colonial past and until the discovery of oil, the raising of cocoa crops was the only economic activity. Sarah Wykes, Global Witness NGO says that '...although the country will have about $700 million in oil revenues per year there has been no improvement in the development of the country. It isn't benefiting the people of Guinea.' Where is the money going? John Bennett, the ex-US Ambassador to Equatorial Guinea says that President Obiang, considered a dictator by many, is stealing much of the oil money (estimated at $1.5 to 2 billion over the past nine years) and depositing it offshore. Besides financial corruption, the government suppresses and even imprisons the leaders of the political opposition. The human rights violations and the lack of democracy are tolerated by the governments of the West in order to support U.S. oil interests.
Director: Lluis Jene and Enric Miro Distributor:Filmakers Library
Keywords: Equatorial Guinea, oil, industry, NGO, development, corruption, government, human rights
Femmes du Niger: entre integrisme et democratie (Videocassette : 26 min. ) [1993]
VHS 9416
Abstract: Niger is a traditionally Islamic country where authorized polygamy and Muslim fundamentalism clash with the country's struggle for democracy. In elections in 1993, men voted by proxy for their different wives and daughters. Women who speak out about their rights have been physically attacked and excommunicated by the ayatollahs. Working together, women are the most ardent defenders of democracy, which offers the best hope of winning the equal rights which are still denied them. Critical viewing for those interested in women's human rights and the impact of fundamentalism.
Director: Anne-Laure Folly Distributor:Women Make Movies
Keywords: Niger, women, Islam, human rights, government, religion
Forsaken Cries: the Story of Rwanda (Videocassette : 35 min. ) [1997]
V. CASS. VHS 3838
Abstract: In 1994, close to one million people were killed in Rwanda. This documentary examines Rwanda as a case study of the human rights challenge of the 21st century. Incorporates historical footage, interviews, analyses. Produced by: Amnesty International, USA.
Director: NA Distributor:Amnesty International
Keywords: Rwanda, genocide, history, politics, ethnicity
Justice Pursued (DVD : 50 min. ) [1997]
DVD 9220
Abstract: Rwanda, Argentina, East Germany and Bosnia have been the locus for the most heinous acts of the last 20 years. In this program, Gerald Gahima, Rwanda's Minister of Justice, has the unenviable job of tracking down hundreds of Rwandans accused of perpertrating hideous atrocities against their neighbors during that country's recent civil war. We follow Gahima to Israel where, in an emotional meeting with a former Nazi-hunter, Gahima receives advice on how to proceed. The torture and murder of thousands of young Argentines by the Pinochet regime are detailed by a survivor. In East Germany, newly discovered Stasi training tapes paint a brutal portrait of political repression behind the Berlin Wall, while in Bosnia, efforts to track down the perpetrators of ethnic cleansing are ongoing.
Director: Jane Dibblin, Paul Mitchell, Michael Stewart Distributor:Films for the Humanities and Sciences
Keywords: Rwanda, genocide, political persecution, human rights, war crimes, law, genocide
Ken Saro-Wiwa: An African Martyr (Videocassette : 23 min. ) [1996]
V. CASS. VHS 3900
Abstract: Ken Saro-Wiwa, the celebrated Ogoni writer and political activist, was hanged in November 1995 by the Nigerian military dictatorship. Saro-Wiwa had been campaigning for the rights of Nigeria's Ogoni people, who have suffered fromdecades of resource exploitation by foreign oil companies and oppression by the Nigerian military government. This program tells Saro-Wiwa's story through his own words and those of his wife and features the only in-depth interview he gave before his death.
Director: Mark Johnson Distributor:Films for the Humanities
Keywords: Nigeria, Ogoni, politics, environment, prisoners, industry, human rights
Living with Illegals (DVD : 60 min. ) [2006]
DVD 8601
Abstract: In Living with Illegals, award-winning journalist Sorious Samura becomes an illegal immigrant. His journey is epic as he travels from Morocco into Europe through Spain and France, finally crossing the English Channel to Britain. Samura wants to understand the reality of being an illegal immigrant, so he lives in the exact same conditions and experiences the same gruelling hardships as his companions. The story begins in Northern Morocco, where hundreds of illegal immigrants live in forests waiting for their chance to break into the enclave of Ceuta, a Spanish enclave in Africa. All that separates them from Ceuta and Europe is a 50 km, 6 m fence, around which they camp. Huddled together in cold, flimsy tents and hounded by daily police raids, the immigrants struggle to survive with no food, money or peace of mind, but their determination to reach the promised land is unyielding. Samura meets Gus and Theo who have decided to swim around the fence and thus into Europe, an extremely dangerous method of entry which many have paid for with their lives. The next day, news arrives that only Theo made it to other side. Gus was captured. Samura leaves the Moroccan forest and meets with Theo in Ceuta. Together they try to earn some money parking cars. Samura soon discovers a derelict factory known as the 'Longhouse' where those on the run from immigration authorities live. The conditions are horrifying. For these people, the dream of Europe has already turned into a nightmare. Samura travels through several cities of mainland Spain where he begs, sleeps rough, performs odd jobs and learns inside tricks to survive as an immigrant. Through a 'connection man,' Samura crosses the Spanish/ French border, and onwards by train he reaches Calais. This is the hub for all immigrants trying to enter the UK. Samura is surprised to find living conditions and scenes of desperation as bad as those in Morocco. In the end, through astonishing circumstances, both Sorious and his companion Arick do reach their final destination. It has been an incredible journey, but was all the suffering really worth it? Living with Illegals is an extraordinary documentary. Offering unprecedented access and unique insights into the world of African illegal immigration, it raises important questions about the rights of individuals to seek a better life free of poverty and war. See also Living with Hunger, Living with Refugees and Living with AIDS.
Director: Sorious Samura Distributor:Insight News TV
Keywords: Morocco, Spain, Europe, immigration, unemployment, poverty, law, human rights
Mama Awethu! (Videocassette : 53 min. ) [1993]
VHS 9202
Abstract: Mama Awethu! follows the day-to-day lives of five black South African women in the townships around Cape Town, revealing the inhuman legacy of the apartheid system. Evelyn, once an African National Congress branch secretary, lives in a squatter location called Philippi and works as a cleaning woman. Iris, also from Philippi, is a member of the ANC Women's League who is involved in community politics. Sheila, a resident of Khayaletisha, is a committed activist; Dinah is new to politics; and Nopopi focuses on issues affecting women. As they share their lives with the camera, the film reveals how township life has necessitated their involvement in the struggle for better living conditions and equal rights. Although set in South Africa, the inspiring voices heard in Mama Awethu! are a call to empowerment for all women. They speak eloquently of hope in the midst of immense violence and killing. Much more than a record of South African women, Mama Awethu! is a song about life and the courage to live.
Director: Bethany Yarrow Distributor:First Run/Icarus Films
Keywords: South Africa, Cape Town, African National Congress, apartheid, social situation, women
Nigeria's Oil War (DVD : 24 min. ) [2006]
DVD 8737
Abstract: The Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force is a well organized crime gang that has become a key player in the world's most strategically important industry -- oil. The vast Niger Delta holds an estimated three percent of the world's oil, and to the U.S., it's a vital alternative to the oilfields of the Middle East - worth $30 billion per year. The Force wants a share of this oil revenue for the people of the Niger Delta. As their leader, Al Haji Asari Dokubo, admitted in the film, the gang has brazenly stolen oil straight out of pipelines owned by some of the world's biggest multinationals. Called 'bunkering,' the practice is costing Western oil companies hundreds of millions of dollars in lost revenue each year. If gangs like the Force are threatened, they can disrupt Nigeria's oil supply with ease. This could lead to economic repercussions around the world. Not that the government of Nigeria seems overly concerned about cleaning up the industry, or using its massive oil wealth to help the people - some believe that they are the biggest gang of all. 'People have now gotten to the point where they don't believe anything that the government stands for,' Nigerian human rights lawyer Ledum Mittee says. 'Instead of the oil becoming a blessing, it now becomes a curse.'
Director: Mary Ann Jolley Distributor:Filmakers Library
Keywords: Nigeria, Niger River Delta, petroleum industry, insurgency, politics, government, economy
Ordinary People: Following On (Videocassette : 27 min. ) [1996]
On Order
Abstract: The first chapters of Ordinary People, created in 1993, were produced in a starkly different South Africa. Amidst social and political turmoil and strife, leaders were deep in negotiations for a new order and the ramifications were being felt throughout the country's social structure. In this, the final episode of the 1995 season, Following On revisits a number of the men, women, and children featured in the inaugural series. Intercut with scenes from the first shows more than two years after they were assembled, this program reveals the repercussions that the events chronicled in five of those programs (The Peacemakers; The Lawyer, The Farmer, and The Clerk; The Tooth of the Times; The Penalty Area; and Make Believe -- see individual titles in catalogue) have had on the their subjects as they share the personal tolls the new South Africa has taken on their lives. The end result is a film which presents far more than just nostalgia and reflection as it bears witness to perhaps the most enormously tumultuous period of change in South Africa's history.
Director: Harriet Gavshon Distributor:First Run/Icarus Films
Keywords: South Africa, apartheid, human rights, sociology, politics, history
Red Dust (Video Disc/Laser Vision : 110 min. ) [2004]
DVD 9029
Abstract: A political thriller set in a small South African town during the Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings. Human rights lawyer Sarah Barcant must represent Alex Mpondo, a former political activist, who was held captive and sadistically tortured by a police officer under the apartheid regime in South Africa.
Director: Tom Hooper Distributor:HBO Video
Keywords: South Africa, apartheid, thriller, reconciliation, human rights, politics, feature film
Right to Choose (The) (Videocassette : 24 min. ) [2000]
V.CASS. VHS 8928
Abstract: Part of a series on how the globalized world economy affects ordinary people. Nibret is eleven -- and they're marrying her off to a man she's never met. Forced marriage isn't unusual in northern Ethiopia -- it helps to cement ties between families and establish land rights. Some Islamic leaders in northern Nigeria also advocate child-marriage. They believe women's role is to comfort men, and see nothing wrong with marrying girls as young as seven, often in polygamous marriages. This program reports on the dissonant voices arguing for change in local cultures -- and calls for reproductive health care and primary education for women and looks at widespread discrimination and violence against women.
Director: Charlotte Metcalf Distributor:Bullfrog Films
Keywords: Ethiopia, Nigeria, women, children, marriage, human rights, land, education
Right to be Nuba (The) (Videocassette : 45 min. ) [1993]
V. CASS. VHS 3881
Abstract: Film maker/anthropologist Hugo D'aybaury presents the struggles felt by the Nuba people, caught in the middle of Sudan's civil war between the northern Islamic Khartoum and the southern Sudan People's Liberation Army rebel forces. Writer, director, co-producer: Hugo D'aybaury.
Director: Hugo D'aybaury Distributor:Filmakers Library
Keywords: Sudan, Nuba, civil war, politics, religion, human rights
Slavery and the Making of America. Volume 1: The Downward Spiral (DVD : 60 min. ) [2005]
DVD 5288 PT. 1
Abstract: Program One covers the period from 1619 through 1739, and spotlights the origins of slavery in America, focusing on Dutch New Amsterdam (later New York City). This installment shows how slavery in its early days was a loosely defined labor source similar to indentured servitude, in which Africans and others of mixed race and/or mixed culture had some legal rights, could take their masters to court and could even earn wages as they undertook the backbreaking labor involved in building a new nation --clearing land, constructing roads, unloading ships. But further south, the story of John Punch served as an omen of things to come. Captured after attempting to escape his tobacco plantation, he received a sentence far harsher than the two white men who ran with him. Indeed, in the Carolinas, where the enslaved were teaching struggling white planters how to grow the wildly lucrative crop oryza (rice), the labor system was already progressing towards the absolute control, dehumanizing oppression and sheer racism we today most commonly associate with slavery. The first hour culminates with the bloody Stono rebellion in South Carolina, which led to the passage of 'black codes,' regulating virtually every aspect of slaves' lives. The first episode features the stories of John Punch, Emanuel Driggus and Francis Driggus. This volume is part of the Slavery and the Making of America series.
Director: James Danté Distributor:Ambrose Video Publishing
Keywords: America, Africa, New York, South Carolina, indentured labor, overview, history, slavery
South African Chronicles (Videocassette : 105 min. ) [1988]
VHS 9346
Abstract: The nine short documentaries comprising South African Chronicles were produced by twelve young filmmakers at the racially integrated Varan Workshop. Focused on such subjects as a meeting of the Afrikaner Resistance Movement, an election campaign in a small mining town, a homeless children's shelter in the racially mixed Hillbrow section of Johannesburg, and the distribution of pension checks to senior citizens in Soweto, these films show the realities of South African life behind the sensationalism and rhetoric of most reports out of South Africa. In this way, South African Chronicles tells the story of apartheid all the more vividly.
Director: Varan Workshop of Johannesburg Distributor:First Run/Icarus Films
Keywords: South Africa, apartheid, human rights, sociology
Talk Mogadishu: Media under Fire (Videocassette : 50 min. ) [2003]
V.CASS. VHS 8929
Abstract: Documents the operation of the independent, non-partisan radio and television station, HornAfrik, in the Somali capital of Mogadishu. The station's very popular talk shows allow marginalized groups, such as human rights advocates and women's groups, to speak out and be heard. HornAfrik operates in a dangerous and volatile climate, and is sometimes attacked by warlords angered by a show's content. The station requires armed guards 24 hours a day, and reporters are often harassed and their cameras confiscated by militias. Despite the perils, the founders of HornAfrik continue their broadcasts, demonstrating a possible role for the media in times of conflict.
Director: Judy Jackson Distributor:Bullfrog Films
Keywords: Somalia, Mogadishu, radio, television, independent media, civil war, politics
Witches in Exile (Videocassette : 78 min. ) [2005]
V.CASS. VHS 9141
Abstract: From Tanzania and Zambia to Ivory Coast and Ghana, belief in witchcraft continues to terrorize women. In Northern Ghana alone, there are estimated to be more than 5000 witches confined to witches' villages--part sanctuaries, part prison camps. This film introduces us to five women who have taken refuge in the Kukuo witches' camp and who represent a cross section of the witch population of Northern Ghana today. It leads us on a step by step journey on how a woman becomes stigmatized as a witch. The film makes clear that one cannot successfully attack a phenomenon like witches' camps in isolation, but must see them as part of a wider set of beliefs designed to mark women as an expendable part of society (especially older women who have lost their economic usefulness). The film traces the complex intersection of anthropology, political science and economics, which must come together in any strategy for liberating women in Africa.
Director: Allison Berg Distributor:California Newsreel
Keywords: Ghana, Dagomba, gender relations, human rights, social conditions, traditional religion, witchcraft, women
World through Children's Eyes (The) (Videocassette : 67 min. ) [1996]
V.CASS. VHS 8275
Abstract: These six short programs provide an intimate and unique insight into the reality and dreams of children from all over the world with a candor that can only be achieved by self-documentation. While the rights of the child have been the subject of many documentaries, this is the first time children have been given the opportunity to create one themselves. Each story reflects one of the articles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, but from the uncensored and sometimes unsparing viewpoint of children themselves. Contents: Philipines: sexual exploitation (15 min.); Peru: child workers (12 min.); Brazil: street kids (11 min.); USA: inner city kids and police brutality (7 min.); India: girls and education (12 min.); South Africa: political violence (11 min.). Accompanied by discussion guide.
Director: Ilan Ziv Distributor:Maryknoll World Productions
Keywords: Philipines, Peru, Brazil, United States, India, South Africa, children, human rights, U.N.
Page(s): 1
Archbishop Desmond Tutu speaking at the Emory University School of Law 1994 Religious Human Rights Conference (Videocassette : 43 min. ) [1994]
LAW Library VC No 450
Abstract: Archbishop Desmond Tutu's address at the 1994 conference on Religious Human Rights held at the Emory School of Law.
Director: NA Distributor:Emory University School of Law
Keywords: South Africa, Desmond Tutu, human rights, religion, law
Blood Stained Diamonds: The Diamond Empire (CD-ROM ) [2001]
HD9677 .A2 F59 2001
Abstract: CD-ROM contains both the documentary film The Diamond Empire and the companion e-book Blood Stained Diamonds. Central to the diamond's role as a romantic symbol is the belief that diamonds are one of the rarest, most precious gifts for a loved one. This documentary examines how the great myth about the scarcity of diamonds and their inflated value was created and maintained over the decades by the diamond cartel. The author has spoken publicly about what she sees as the international suppression of both the book and the film due to pressure from De Beers.
Director: Janine Farrell-Roberts Distributor:Impact Media
Keywords: diamonds, mining, politics, economic conditions, human rights
Born Slave (DVD : 52 min. ) [2004]
DVD 8215
Abstract: It is shocking to see that slavery still exists in contemporary Mauritania, even though it is outlawed on the books since 1981. It is estimated that there are 100,000 people enslaved there. This remarkable documentary, shot secretly by the production team disguised as tourists, provides the outside world's first look at this human rights abuse. The child of a slave woman belongs to her master. From the time it can walk, it is put to work and can also be given away to others. In the film we meet sixteen-year-old Bilal who was only two when his mother escaped and left him with his master. He finally ran away and found his mother in the slums of the capital. They describe their lives as mistreated and humiliated unpaid workers, explaining that the masters often use religion to frighten their slaves into submission. Boubacar Messaoud, leader of the organization SOS Slave, gives us the historical and sociological background of slavery.
Director: Helen Aastrup-Samuels and Bo Harringer Distributor:Filmakers Library
Keywords: Mauritania, slavery, human rights, labor
Drilling Fields (The) (Videocassette : 24 min. ) [1995]
V. CASS. VHS 5034
Abstract: Looks at the land rights dispute in the Niger Delta area between the Nigerian government, the indigenous Ogoni people and the Shell Oil Company (Part of the Cutting Edge series).
Director: Glenn Ellis Distributor:Catma Films
Keywords: Nigeria, Ogoni, human rights, pollution, environment, politics and government, history
Equatorial Guinea: Drowning in Oil? (DVD : 35 min. ) [2003]
DVD 8456
Abstract: In 1995, U.S. oil companies arrived in Equitorial Guinea in West Africa and found petroleum. Guinea has now become the third biggest oil-producing nation in sub-Saharan Africa, with production at 300,000 barrels a day. Because of its location, away from the Arabian peninsula, Guinea is important to the U.S. since it helps the U.S. in its goal to diversify its sources of oil. Throughout its Spanish colonial past and until the discovery of oil, the raising of cocoa crops was the only economic activity. Sarah Wykes, Global Witness NGO says that '...although the country will have about $700 million in oil revenues per year there has been no improvement in the development of the country. It isn't benefiting the people of Guinea.' Where is the money going? John Bennett, the ex-US Ambassador to Equatorial Guinea says that President Obiang, considered a dictator by many, is stealing much of the oil money (estimated at $1.5 to 2 billion over the past nine years) and depositing it offshore. Besides financial corruption, the government suppresses and even imprisons the leaders of the political opposition. The human rights violations and the lack of democracy are tolerated by the governments of the West in order to support U.S. oil interests.
Director: Lluis Jene and Enric Miro Distributor:Filmakers Library
Keywords: Equatorial Guinea, oil, industry, NGO, development, corruption, government, human rights
Femmes du Niger: entre integrisme et democratie (Videocassette : 26 min. ) [1993]
VHS 9416
Abstract: Niger is a traditionally Islamic country where authorized polygamy and Muslim fundamentalism clash with the country's struggle for democracy. In elections in 1993, men voted by proxy for their different wives and daughters. Women who speak out about their rights have been physically attacked and excommunicated by the ayatollahs. Working together, women are the most ardent defenders of democracy, which offers the best hope of winning the equal rights which are still denied them. Critical viewing for those interested in women's human rights and the impact of fundamentalism.
Director: Anne-Laure Folly Distributor:Women Make Movies
Keywords: Niger, women, Islam, human rights, government, religion
Forsaken Cries: the Story of Rwanda (Videocassette : 35 min. ) [1997]
V. CASS. VHS 3838
Abstract: In 1994, close to one million people were killed in Rwanda. This documentary examines Rwanda as a case study of the human rights challenge of the 21st century. Incorporates historical footage, interviews, analyses. Produced by: Amnesty International, USA.
Director: NA Distributor:Amnesty International
Keywords: Rwanda, genocide, history, politics, ethnicity
Justice Pursued (DVD : 50 min. ) [1997]
DVD 9220
Abstract: Rwanda, Argentina, East Germany and Bosnia have been the locus for the most heinous acts of the last 20 years. In this program, Gerald Gahima, Rwanda's Minister of Justice, has the unenviable job of tracking down hundreds of Rwandans accused of perpertrating hideous atrocities against their neighbors during that country's recent civil war. We follow Gahima to Israel where, in an emotional meeting with a former Nazi-hunter, Gahima receives advice on how to proceed. The torture and murder of thousands of young Argentines by the Pinochet regime are detailed by a survivor. In East Germany, newly discovered Stasi training tapes paint a brutal portrait of political repression behind the Berlin Wall, while in Bosnia, efforts to track down the perpetrators of ethnic cleansing are ongoing.
Director: Jane Dibblin, Paul Mitchell, Michael Stewart Distributor:Films for the Humanities and Sciences
Keywords: Rwanda, genocide, political persecution, human rights, war crimes, law, genocide
Ken Saro-Wiwa: An African Martyr (Videocassette : 23 min. ) [1996]
V. CASS. VHS 3900
Abstract: Ken Saro-Wiwa, the celebrated Ogoni writer and political activist, was hanged in November 1995 by the Nigerian military dictatorship. Saro-Wiwa had been campaigning for the rights of Nigeria's Ogoni people, who have suffered fromdecades of resource exploitation by foreign oil companies and oppression by the Nigerian military government. This program tells Saro-Wiwa's story through his own words and those of his wife and features the only in-depth interview he gave before his death.
Director: Mark Johnson Distributor:Films for the Humanities
Keywords: Nigeria, Ogoni, politics, environment, prisoners, industry, human rights
Living with Illegals (DVD : 60 min. ) [2006]
DVD 8601
Abstract: In Living with Illegals, award-winning journalist Sorious Samura becomes an illegal immigrant. His journey is epic as he travels from Morocco into Europe through Spain and France, finally crossing the English Channel to Britain. Samura wants to understand the reality of being an illegal immigrant, so he lives in the exact same conditions and experiences the same gruelling hardships as his companions. The story begins in Northern Morocco, where hundreds of illegal immigrants live in forests waiting for their chance to break into the enclave of Ceuta, a Spanish enclave in Africa. All that separates them from Ceuta and Europe is a 50 km, 6 m fence, around which they camp. Huddled together in cold, flimsy tents and hounded by daily police raids, the immigrants struggle to survive with no food, money or peace of mind, but their determination to reach the promised land is unyielding. Samura meets Gus and Theo who have decided to swim around the fence and thus into Europe, an extremely dangerous method of entry which many have paid for with their lives. The next day, news arrives that only Theo made it to other side. Gus was captured. Samura leaves the Moroccan forest and meets with Theo in Ceuta. Together they try to earn some money parking cars. Samura soon discovers a derelict factory known as the 'Longhouse' where those on the run from immigration authorities live. The conditions are horrifying. For these people, the dream of Europe has already turned into a nightmare. Samura travels through several cities of mainland Spain where he begs, sleeps rough, performs odd jobs and learns inside tricks to survive as an immigrant. Through a 'connection man,' Samura crosses the Spanish/ French border, and onwards by train he reaches Calais. This is the hub for all immigrants trying to enter the UK. Samura is surprised to find living conditions and scenes of desperation as bad as those in Morocco. In the end, through astonishing circumstances, both Sorious and his companion Arick do reach their final destination. It has been an incredible journey, but was all the suffering really worth it? Living with Illegals is an extraordinary documentary. Offering unprecedented access and unique insights into the world of African illegal immigration, it raises important questions about the rights of individuals to seek a better life free of poverty and war. See also Living with Hunger, Living with Refugees and Living with AIDS.
Director: Sorious Samura Distributor:Insight News TV
Keywords: Morocco, Spain, Europe, immigration, unemployment, poverty, law, human rights
Mama Awethu! (Videocassette : 53 min. ) [1993]
VHS 9202
Abstract: Mama Awethu! follows the day-to-day lives of five black South African women in the townships around Cape Town, revealing the inhuman legacy of the apartheid system. Evelyn, once an African National Congress branch secretary, lives in a squatter location called Philippi and works as a cleaning woman. Iris, also from Philippi, is a member of the ANC Women's League who is involved in community politics. Sheila, a resident of Khayaletisha, is a committed activist; Dinah is new to politics; and Nopopi focuses on issues affecting women. As they share their lives with the camera, the film reveals how township life has necessitated their involvement in the struggle for better living conditions and equal rights. Although set in South Africa, the inspiring voices heard in Mama Awethu! are a call to empowerment for all women. They speak eloquently of hope in the midst of immense violence and killing. Much more than a record of South African women, Mama Awethu! is a song about life and the courage to live.
Director: Bethany Yarrow Distributor:First Run/Icarus Films
Keywords: South Africa, Cape Town, African National Congress, apartheid, social situation, women
Nigeria's Oil War (DVD : 24 min. ) [2006]
DVD 8737
Abstract: The Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force is a well organized crime gang that has become a key player in the world's most strategically important industry -- oil. The vast Niger Delta holds an estimated three percent of the world's oil, and to the U.S., it's a vital alternative to the oilfields of the Middle East - worth $30 billion per year. The Force wants a share of this oil revenue for the people of the Niger Delta. As their leader, Al Haji Asari Dokubo, admitted in the film, the gang has brazenly stolen oil straight out of pipelines owned by some of the world's biggest multinationals. Called 'bunkering,' the practice is costing Western oil companies hundreds of millions of dollars in lost revenue each year. If gangs like the Force are threatened, they can disrupt Nigeria's oil supply with ease. This could lead to economic repercussions around the world. Not that the government of Nigeria seems overly concerned about cleaning up the industry, or using its massive oil wealth to help the people - some believe that they are the biggest gang of all. 'People have now gotten to the point where they don't believe anything that the government stands for,' Nigerian human rights lawyer Ledum Mittee says. 'Instead of the oil becoming a blessing, it now becomes a curse.'
Director: Mary Ann Jolley Distributor:Filmakers Library
Keywords: Nigeria, Niger River Delta, petroleum industry, insurgency, politics, government, economy
Ordinary People: Following On (Videocassette : 27 min. ) [1996]
On Order
Abstract: The first chapters of Ordinary People, created in 1993, were produced in a starkly different South Africa. Amidst social and political turmoil and strife, leaders were deep in negotiations for a new order and the ramifications were being felt throughout the country's social structure. In this, the final episode of the 1995 season, Following On revisits a number of the men, women, and children featured in the inaugural series. Intercut with scenes from the first shows more than two years after they were assembled, this program reveals the repercussions that the events chronicled in five of those programs (The Peacemakers; The Lawyer, The Farmer, and The Clerk; The Tooth of the Times; The Penalty Area; and Make Believe -- see individual titles in catalogue) have had on the their subjects as they share the personal tolls the new South Africa has taken on their lives. The end result is a film which presents far more than just nostalgia and reflection as it bears witness to perhaps the most enormously tumultuous period of change in South Africa's history.
Director: Harriet Gavshon Distributor:First Run/Icarus Films
Keywords: South Africa, apartheid, human rights, sociology, politics, history
Red Dust (Video Disc/Laser Vision : 110 min. ) [2004]
DVD 9029
Abstract: A political thriller set in a small South African town during the Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings. Human rights lawyer Sarah Barcant must represent Alex Mpondo, a former political activist, who was held captive and sadistically tortured by a police officer under the apartheid regime in South Africa.
Director: Tom Hooper Distributor:HBO Video
Keywords: South Africa, apartheid, thriller, reconciliation, human rights, politics, feature film
Right to Choose (The) (Videocassette : 24 min. ) [2000]
V.CASS. VHS 8928
Abstract: Part of a series on how the globalized world economy affects ordinary people. Nibret is eleven -- and they're marrying her off to a man she's never met. Forced marriage isn't unusual in northern Ethiopia -- it helps to cement ties between families and establish land rights. Some Islamic leaders in northern Nigeria also advocate child-marriage. They believe women's role is to comfort men, and see nothing wrong with marrying girls as young as seven, often in polygamous marriages. This program reports on the dissonant voices arguing for change in local cultures -- and calls for reproductive health care and primary education for women and looks at widespread discrimination and violence against women.
Director: Charlotte Metcalf Distributor:Bullfrog Films
Keywords: Ethiopia, Nigeria, women, children, marriage, human rights, land, education
Right to be Nuba (The) (Videocassette : 45 min. ) [1993]
V. CASS. VHS 3881
Abstract: Film maker/anthropologist Hugo D'aybaury presents the struggles felt by the Nuba people, caught in the middle of Sudan's civil war between the northern Islamic Khartoum and the southern Sudan People's Liberation Army rebel forces. Writer, director, co-producer: Hugo D'aybaury.
Director: Hugo D'aybaury Distributor:Filmakers Library
Keywords: Sudan, Nuba, civil war, politics, religion, human rights
Slavery and the Making of America. Volume 1: The Downward Spiral (DVD : 60 min. ) [2005]
DVD 5288 PT. 1
Abstract: Program One covers the period from 1619 through 1739, and spotlights the origins of slavery in America, focusing on Dutch New Amsterdam (later New York City). This installment shows how slavery in its early days was a loosely defined labor source similar to indentured servitude, in which Africans and others of mixed race and/or mixed culture had some legal rights, could take their masters to court and could even earn wages as they undertook the backbreaking labor involved in building a new nation --clearing land, constructing roads, unloading ships. But further south, the story of John Punch served as an omen of things to come. Captured after attempting to escape his tobacco plantation, he received a sentence far harsher than the two white men who ran with him. Indeed, in the Carolinas, where the enslaved were teaching struggling white planters how to grow the wildly lucrative crop oryza (rice), the labor system was already progressing towards the absolute control, dehumanizing oppression and sheer racism we today most commonly associate with slavery. The first hour culminates with the bloody Stono rebellion in South Carolina, which led to the passage of 'black codes,' regulating virtually every aspect of slaves' lives. The first episode features the stories of John Punch, Emanuel Driggus and Francis Driggus. This volume is part of the Slavery and the Making of America series.
Director: James Danté Distributor:Ambrose Video Publishing
Keywords: America, Africa, New York, South Carolina, indentured labor, overview, history, slavery
South African Chronicles (Videocassette : 105 min. ) [1988]
VHS 9346
Abstract: The nine short documentaries comprising South African Chronicles were produced by twelve young filmmakers at the racially integrated Varan Workshop. Focused on such subjects as a meeting of the Afrikaner Resistance Movement, an election campaign in a small mining town, a homeless children's shelter in the racially mixed Hillbrow section of Johannesburg, and the distribution of pension checks to senior citizens in Soweto, these films show the realities of South African life behind the sensationalism and rhetoric of most reports out of South Africa. In this way, South African Chronicles tells the story of apartheid all the more vividly.
Director: Varan Workshop of Johannesburg Distributor:First Run/Icarus Films
Keywords: South Africa, apartheid, human rights, sociology
Talk Mogadishu: Media under Fire (Videocassette : 50 min. ) [2003]
V.CASS. VHS 8929
Abstract: Documents the operation of the independent, non-partisan radio and television station, HornAfrik, in the Somali capital of Mogadishu. The station's very popular talk shows allow marginalized groups, such as human rights advocates and women's groups, to speak out and be heard. HornAfrik operates in a dangerous and volatile climate, and is sometimes attacked by warlords angered by a show's content. The station requires armed guards 24 hours a day, and reporters are often harassed and their cameras confiscated by militias. Despite the perils, the founders of HornAfrik continue their broadcasts, demonstrating a possible role for the media in times of conflict.
Director: Judy Jackson Distributor:Bullfrog Films
Keywords: Somalia, Mogadishu, radio, television, independent media, civil war, politics
Witches in Exile (Videocassette : 78 min. ) [2005]
V.CASS. VHS 9141
Abstract: From Tanzania and Zambia to Ivory Coast and Ghana, belief in witchcraft continues to terrorize women. In Northern Ghana alone, there are estimated to be more than 5000 witches confined to witches' villages--part sanctuaries, part prison camps. This film introduces us to five women who have taken refuge in the Kukuo witches' camp and who represent a cross section of the witch population of Northern Ghana today. It leads us on a step by step journey on how a woman becomes stigmatized as a witch. The film makes clear that one cannot successfully attack a phenomenon like witches' camps in isolation, but must see them as part of a wider set of beliefs designed to mark women as an expendable part of society (especially older women who have lost their economic usefulness). The film traces the complex intersection of anthropology, political science and economics, which must come together in any strategy for liberating women in Africa.
Director: Allison Berg Distributor:California Newsreel
Keywords: Ghana, Dagomba, gender relations, human rights, social conditions, traditional religion, witchcraft, women
World through Children's Eyes (The) (Videocassette : 67 min. ) [1996]
V.CASS. VHS 8275
Abstract: These six short programs provide an intimate and unique insight into the reality and dreams of children from all over the world with a candor that can only be achieved by self-documentation. While the rights of the child have been the subject of many documentaries, this is the first time children have been given the opportunity to create one themselves. Each story reflects one of the articles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, but from the uncensored and sometimes unsparing viewpoint of children themselves. Contents: Philipines: sexual exploitation (15 min.); Peru: child workers (12 min.); Brazil: street kids (11 min.); USA: inner city kids and police brutality (7 min.); India: girls and education (12 min.); South Africa: political violence (11 min.). Accompanied by discussion guide.
Director: Ilan Ziv Distributor:Maryknoll World Productions
Keywords: Philipines, Peru, Brazil, United States, India, South Africa, children, human rights, U.N.
September 16, 2008: Geoffrey Nyarota
