2nd Encore Screening – Alias Ruby Blade
After a SOLD-OUT screening at Opening Night and a SOLD-OUT encore screening – we are thrilled to present the 2nd encore screening of Alias Ruby Blade!!
Intrigue. Romance. Revolution. It all comes together in this action-packed documentary, which chronicles the tumultuous birth of a new nation in East Timor through a never-before-seen perspective. Kirsty Sword, a young Australian activist, aspired to be a documentary filmmaker, but instead became an underground operative for the Timorese resistance in Jakarta, code named ‘Ruby Blade’. Her task: to become a conduit of information and instruction for the enigmatic leader of the resistance, Kay Rala “Xanana” Gusmão, while he was serving time in prison for his revolutionary activities.
Through correspondence, Xanana and Kirsty drew ever closer. Alias Ruby Blade captures their incredible story from this beginning to the ultimate triumph of freedom in East Timor, demonstrating the astonishing power of individuals to change the course of history.
Encore Screening – Alias Ruby Blade
After a sold-out screening at Opening Night, we are thrilled to present the encore screening of Alias Ruby Blade!
Intrigue. Romance. Revolution. It all comes together in this action-packed documentary, which chronicles the tumultuous birth of a new nation in East Timor through a never-before-seen perspective. Kirsty Sword, a young Australian activist, aspired to be a documentary filmmaker, but instead became an underground operative for the Timorese resistance in Jakarta, code named ‘Ruby Blade’. Her task: to become a conduit of information and instruction for the enigmatic leader of the resistance, Kay Rala “Xanana” Gusmão, while he was serving time in prison for his revolutionary activities. Through correspondence, Xanana and Kirsty drew ever closer. Alias Ruby Blade captures their incredible story from this beginning to the ultimate triumph of freedom in East Timor, demonstrating the astonishing power of individuals to change the course of history.
Post-Film Q&A
Alias Ruby Blade will be followed by a conversation with Kirsty Sword Gusmão (protagonist).
Mondomanila
HRAFF PRESENTS a night of film and music inspired by the creativity and imagination emerging from the one billion people living in urban slums around the world. The lineup includes a late-night screening of the explosive Mondomanila, followed by Saca La Mois DJ!! & VJ Martin Hadley (Space Is The Place PBS FM / Cumbia Cosmonauts) taking us on an audiovisual exploration of the dance floors of the world’s favelas, shantytowns and barrios.
MELBOURNE PREMIERE
Khavn De La Cruz / Philippines / 2012 / 75 mins / Tagalog with English subtitles / Narrative
Welcome to Manila’s grubby underbelly. Teenage antihero Tony de Guzman lives in the slums with his gang of underage no-hopers, whose lives are about trying to get enough money to survive day-by-day. In order to protect themselves from the threats of the slum, they follow their own rules, sticking together, cheating the system and taking what they can. Described by one critic as “Glee on crack”, Mondomanila is a radical film of cinematographic artistry, but also a grotesquely violent, deliberately offensive account of urban ghetto life. To tell Tony’s story, Khavn dexterously manoeuvres between slapstick, sensationalised porn, bestiality and hyper-real bloodshed. Whilst ultimately a comedy, Mondomanila raises uncomfortable questions about the exploitation of the urban poor and the commodification of slum culture.
It is a divisive film, which will have you morally outraged or laughing in disbelief. Entering the world of Mondomanila will make your eyes pop, your stomach turn, and make you rethink everything you ever thought about the slum.
Closing Night – In the Shadow of the Sun
“If societies think of me as sub-human today then I need to look for a solution to change society so it will accept me.” – Josephat Torner
Albinos in Tanzania have traditionally been perceived as almost mythical beings. To some they are ghosts who cannot die; to others the result of a family curse. In 2007, after a wave of albino murders, a disturbing myth is exposed: witch doctors are calling for albinos to be hunted, claiming their limbs will bring wealth and good fortune.
For Josephat Torner, an albino himself, the only choice is to take action. He packs his bags, farewells his family, and sets out across the country, visiting villages in the hope that by confronting the superstitions he can stop the killings. Along the way, he meets many albino children who have been taken from their homes, forced to live in hiding behind high walls – “One of the many things we have had to learn is to live in danger.” Shot over six years, In the Shadow of the Sun is the story of a man who stands up to persecution, putting his life on the line to change the world in which he lives.
Post-Film Q&A
Our closing night film features a Q&A with director Harry Freeland and protagonist Josephat Torner. Facilitated by Jo Chandler.
Includes a complimentary drink on arrival, then join us after the film at ACMI’s Optic Kitchen and Bar for a drink to wrap up HRAFF 2013
Opening Night – Alias Ruby Blade
PRESENTED BY
Intrigue. Romance. Revolution. It all comes together in this action-packed documentary, which chronicles the tumultuous birth of a new nation in East Timor through a never-before-seen perspective. Kirsty Sword, a young Australian activist, aspired to be a documentary filmmaker, but instead became an underground operative for the Timorese resistance in Jakarta, code named ‘Ruby Blade’. Her task: to become a conduit of information and instruction for the enigmatic leader of the resistance, Kay Rala “Xanana” Gusmão, while he was serving time in prison for his revolutionary activities. Through correspondence, Xanana and Kirsty drew ever closer. Alias Ruby Blade captures their incredible story from this beginning to the ultimate triumph of freedom in East Timor, demonstrating the astonishing power of individuals to change the course of history.
Due to popular demand, the Opening night screening of Alias Ruby Blade will also screen in Cinema 1. Tickets for this session will include a live video feed of the post-screening panel discussion with Kirsty Sword Gusmao
Missed out on tickets? Encore screening of Alias Ruby Blade announced for Sunday 2 June. Click here for more information.
Post-Film Q&A
Alias Ruby Blade will be followed by a conversation with Kirsty Sword Gusmão (protagonist), Tanya Meillier (producer) and Alex Meillier (director). Facilitated by Robert Connolly.
Opening Night After-Party
Join us for free drinks, food and music at the elusive Tonic House Cellar, one of Melbourne’s newest venues. Hidden in the cellar of a recently renovated Victorian building, Tonic House boasts Melbourne’s classic blend of the secretive and sophisticated.
Get the conversation and party started with us, and celebrate the launch of the 2013 festival into the early hours!
Proudly presented by Australian Ethical Super. Supported by The Mission Caters, Xanadu wine and Kirin Beer.
Meet The Filmmakers
Everyone wants to be a director, but what does it actually mean to direct a documentary film?
In partnership with RMIT University, HRAFF is hosting a discussion with some of our international guest filmmakers. They will be talking about funding pitfalls, ethical dilemmas, shifting technologies and how to turn hours of real footage into a complete work. Come and hear the stories behind the films in this intimate and personal discussion.
Guest filmmakers include:
Ben Nabors is the founder of New York-based production company {group theory}. His latest film William and the Windmill (HRAFF 2013) won the 2013 Grand Jury Award at SXSW.
William Head is a non-fiction filmmaker, artist and curator. His films have screened in numerous festivals worldwide and his media works have been presented in a number of public exhibits including White Night Melbourne and the Gertrude Street Projection Festival. William continues to explore the world of documentary as the founding curator of Don’t You Have Docs? (www.dontyouhavedocs.com) – a bimonthly ‘in conversation’ event, podcast and online community.
Natasha Gadd ‘s debut feature music documentary “Words From the City”, was nominated for five Australia Film Institute Awards. Her most recently completed documentary “murundak – songs of freedom” received the Grand Prix at FIFO and SEMINCI, a UN Media Peace Award and an Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts. Prior to moving into film production, Natasha was Cinema Programmer at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image and Director of the REAL: Life on Film festival, a documentary festival dedicated to film about human rights and social justice.
The Virtual Revolution: New Media and Human Rights
New media has transformed the dissemination of information around the world. Virtual activists are galvanising public support and action through the use of digital technologies. Citizens have become ‘accidental journalists’. Armed with smartphone cameras and Twitter accounts, they use the internet to report on human rights abuses, bypassing government censorship and repression.
Facebook has been key in engaging the Egyptian population during the Arab Spring, Barack Obama’s 2008 online campaigning levelled the playing field of American politics and Chinese bloggers have used the internet for years to tell stories that would otherwise remain hidden.
But along with these new possibilities come new dangers, including the ability of authoritarian governments to identify and target human rights activists. Disparity in technological access remains a problem and debates about the reliability of citizen bloggers are rife. Join our panelists who will discuss the dichotomies of the digital landscape and the role of new media in the struggle for human rights.
DALIA ZIADA (VIA SKYPE)
Is an award-winning Egyptian liberal human rights activist and Executive Director of the Cairo-based Ibn Khaldun Center for Development Studies, one of the oldest and biggest NGO’s advocating human rights and civil freedoms in Egypt and the Arab World. She has been named one of the Arab world’s eight agents for change and one of the world’s 17 bravest bloggers.
ED GILES
Is an award-winning Australian photojournalist and multimedia reporter based in Cairo, Egypt. In 2011, Ed was awarded a Walkley Award for Online Journalism, for work with the ABC’s Online Investigations Unit and in 2010 a United Nations Media Peace Prize for Online Reporting.
JESS HILL
Used social media to report over 200 original stories from the Arab world during the uprisings in 2011 – all from her desk in Sydney. In 2012, she moved to the Middle East as a correspondent for The Global Mail, living in both Cairo and Beirut.
SABA BEBAWI
Is a journalism and media researcher with research interests in the role of media in democracy-building. Saba was a broadcaster/producer for Radio Jordan English service for four years.
Words of Witness
During the Egyptian uprising, social media was the weapon of choice for a new generation. In Words of Witness, filmmaker Mai Iskander (Garbage Dreams, HRAFF 2010) follows Heba Afify, a budding online journalist reporting from the frontline of the revolution. Heba’s attempts to report are continually compromised by the restrictions she faces as a young woman in Egyptian society – in particular, by her mother’s incessant reminders that, whilst a journalist, she is above all ‘a girl’. As the country begins the transition towards democracy, Heba starts to understand that this hard-fought revolution may in fact not yet be over. Exploring the personal and political in equal measure, Words of Witness is a timely glimpse into post-revolution Egypt today.
Pre-film introduction
Words of Witness will be introduced by Professor Fethi Mansouri who will shed light on the current state of a”airs in Egypt, two years after the revolution.
PROFESSOR FETHI MANSOURI
The director of the strategic research Centre for Citizenship and Globalisation at Deakin University
El Huaso
PRESENTED BY
From the outside, Gustavo Proto has the good life — after a successful career, this Chilean immigrant lives in a beautiful home in Canada, surrounded by a loving wife and family. However, when he recognises the possibility of early onset Alzheimer’s, Gustavo begins to contemplate ending his life, just as his father did before him. In this powerful documentary, the filmmaker — who is also Gustavo’s son, Carlo — dissolves the boundary between personal and professional, creating an emotional portrait of his family in crisis. With beautiful cinematography traversing the Chilean and Canadian landscape, El Huaso provides an insight into mental illness and suicide from the most personal, but often least represented perspectives: that of the sufferer, and the family that would be left behind.
Post-Film Forum
El Huaso will be followed by a panel to discuss the silences around issues of mental health that can exist in families, societal taboos around suicide, and the value of sharing such personal stories on screen.
PROFESSOR PATRICK MCGORRY AO
Professor Patrick McGorry AO, was Australian of the Year in 2010, and is Executive Director of Orygen Youth Health (OYH), a world-renowned youth mental health organisation with an emphasis on early intervention. Professor McGorry’s extraordinary 28-year contribution has transformed the lives of tens of thousands of young people the world over.
JAELEA SKEHAN
Is a psychologist and acting director of the Hunter Institute of Mental Health. Jaelea is well known for her specific expertise in media reporting and portrayal of suicide and mental illness. Since 2002 she managed the education and training component of the Mindframe National Media Initiative in Australia aimed at promoting responsible and accurate portrayal of suicide and mental illness.
DIRECTOR CARLO GUILLERMO PROTO (VIA SKYPE)
Note from the director: “The story explores complex issues that aren’t frequently discussed in most families, including my own. I have built awareness around these issues by putting myself, my sisters and mother in the film and asking the questions that are often ignored within families. It is my hope that others will identify with these issues and will be prompted to discuss their past, present, and future within their families, as most struggle with potential illness and inevitable death.” – Carlo Guillermo Proto
If you are in need of immediate assistance, contact Lifeline 13 11 14 or the Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467
Soldier on the Roof
800 Jewish settlers live among 120,000 Palestinians in the West Bank city of Hebron, protected by a battalion of Israeli soldiers from the rooftops. Considered a holy place for both Jewish and Muslim people, Hebron has been a historic hotbed of violence between two groups struggling to live side-by-side. Filmmaker and anthropologist Esther Hertog spent three years filming the real, sometimes surreal existence of soldiers, ideological settlers and their children. Soldier on the Roof is a personal and anthropological quest to understand the lives and motivations of the settlers while shedding light on the experience of the Palestinians surrounding them.
