ITVS International
What Do Protagonists Get Out of Documentaries?
Filmmaker Koen Suidgeest of Karla’s Arrival explains why doc films offer a voice to those who have been silenced. Karla’s Arrival will have its U.S. premiere at the NY International Latino Film Festival on August 17.
If there’s anything that has become clear to me, it is that different audiences all over the world have very similar humanistic questions. And after numerous private and festival screenings, I have a pretty good idea what audiences wonder about after seeing the film.
Karla’s Arrival is about teenager Sujeylin Aguilar who lives in a park in Managua, Nicaragua. In the beginning of the story, she is pregnant and planning to raise the child right there on the streets. We follow her through the birth of baby girl Karla and during the first year of their lives together.
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Independent Lens and ITVS Receive Nine Emmy Nominations
The Emmy nominations are in and several Independent Lens docs and ITVS-funded films have been recognized. You can find a complete list of all the nominated films after the jump. Congratulations to the filmmakers!
Oscar-Nominated Waltz With Bashir Airs Wednesday on Sundance Channel
The acclaimed ITVS International documentary, written and directed by Ari Folman, delves into the horrors of the 1982 Lebanon War.
Filmmaker Ari Folman’s audacious and devastating documentary employs the freedom offered by animation to explore the untrustworthiness of memory, as he reconstructs his experience as an Israeli soldier during the 1982 Lebanon War. Troubled by an inability to vividly recall some of his experience, Folman confers with other veterans to piece together a narrative that is part memory collage, part nightmare, and part history lesson.
Oscar nominee and Golden Globe winner for Best Foreign Language Film, Waltz with Bashir has its U.S. broadcast premiere on the Sundance Channel this Wednesday, June 29 at 8 PM. Watch the trailer after the jump >>
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Filmmaker Adrian Maben on Comrade Duch
By Chanel Kong
The documentary Comrade Duch: The Bookkeeper of Death examines the life of a gifted Cambodian mathematics teacher turned mass killer — responsible for the torture and murder of 14,000 people — and how he was brought to justice. Filmmaker Adrian Maben offered ITVS some background on the project, which was funded through ITVS International.
How did you come upon working on a project about Comrade Duch?
In 1999 and 2000 I worked with American journalist Nate Thayer on directing a series of films that featured the last interview of Pol Pot, recorded on camera a year before his death. Nate’s interview was a remarkable scoop. For the first time, the most secretive of all Khmer Rouges – Brother Number One – was going to talk.
On camera, Pol Pot seemed affable and managed to explain himself with ease. However, he said practically nothing of interest about the reasons for the murder and atrocities committed during his regime. He denied knowing about the mass killings because he said that he was at the top level and only knew about “important” problems!
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Children of the Amazon Collects High Honors in Nepal
Denise Zmekhol’s documentary Children of the Amazon recently picked up the Bronze Drum Award at the Nepal International Indigenous Film Festival. The filmmaker offered BTB a report from her trip, with some special footage from the doc. Children of the Amazon will be rebroadcast on May 14 and 15 on the WORLD Channel.
In April I was invited to participate in the Nepal International Indigenous Film Festival. I returned feeling very inspired by the 10 days I spent in Kathmandu. I met many indigenous filmmakers from Nepal and around the world. Although one nation politically, Nepal — the birthplace of Buddha — is truly a multiethnic, multilingual, and multifaith country.
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ITVS Announces Five-Year Investment from Ford Foundation’s JustFilms Program
Program will bring $1 million a year to independent producers
ITVS is delighted to announce it will continue to find and fund the highest-quality international documentaries and bring them to millions of U.S. television and online viewers with a new five-year investment from Ford Foundation’s JustFilms program. The funding will provide $1 million a year to support the work and expand the reach independent producers from around the world.
“With JustFilms, the Ford Foundation is mapping out new ways to connect the dots between storytelling, technology, and change,” said Sally Jo Fifer, president and CEO of ITVS. “We look forward to continuing our work with Ford and independent filmmakers to inspire and connect people through television, new media, and innovative outreach.”
Making Sense of a Historic Revolution in Egypt
PBS NEWSHOUR & ITVS TEAM UP TO EXPLAIN 18 DAYS OF PROTEST AND THE OUSTING OF PRESIDENT MUBARAK
Nearly three weeks of protest on the streets of Cairo have managed to upend a government and president that ruled Egypt for almost 30 years.
Join the PBS NewsHour and ITVS next Tuesday for a live chat featuring international filmmakers and newsmakers as well as community organizers, educators, and activists to trace the evolution of democracy movements worldwide, with a special focus on Egypt.
Moderated by PBS NewsHour Correspondent Hari Sreenivasan, the online discussion will go live at 2 PM ET / 11 AM PT (8 PM in Egypt) on Tuesday, February 15 on pbs.org/newshour/extra/egypt.
Live Chat on Historic Changes in Egypt by ITVS and PBS NewsHour
JOIN US NEXT TUESDAY FOR A TEACHERS GUIDE TO THE UNREST IN EGYPT
MODERATED BY NEWSHOUR’S HARI SREENIVSAN
Join the Independent Television Service (ITVS) and PBS NewsHour for a live online discussion to provide background and context to the current political situation in Egypt next Tuesday, February 15 at 2 PM ET / 11 AM PT (8 PM in Egypt) on pbs.org/newshour/extra/egypt.
The Egyptian Uprising in Context
ITVS FILMS AND RESOURCES HELP PLACE CURRENT EVENTS INTO HISTORICAL CONTEXT
ITVS has a history of working with international filmmakers as well as community organizers, educators, and activists to trace the evolution of democracy movements worldwide. Find useful content and resources that will bring the current situation in Egypt into historical context, on our new page Egypt & Democracy.
http://s3.amazonaws.com/itvs.images/btb/btb_shayfeen.jpg
Free Lesson Plans Bring Context to Protests in Egypt
For educators and community organizers: check out our FREE lesson plans and video modules for the film Shayfeen.com: We’re Watching You about three women in Egypt who form an online watchdog group to monitor the elections in 2005.
This is a great way to teach about democracy, corruption, and the power of citizen journalism to effect social change. The lesson plans are part of our Women’s Empowerment collection of educator resources.
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