Jury Report Amnesty International-DOEN Award at IDFA 2005
The jury considered 11 films for the Amnesty International-DOEN selection, many of outstanding quality. It was a difficult decision to narrow the selection to the three final candidates. We therefore opted to base the nominations on a binding theme.
Time has come to focus public attention on the hidden vulnerabilities and threats for human rights within our own culture and economy. When free market systems operate in an increasingly globalised world without enforced legal protections, human rights violations can occur.
The other major vulnerability within our system is the overpowering presence of the military industrial complex, a threat described by President Eisenhower over a half-century ago. This leads directly to enormous pressure on the state to use these weapons. There are countless examples, including Vietnam, Iraq and other comparable wars. The emergence of powerful industrial economies in countries that have the capacity to become superpowers places additional strain on an already unstable world.
In addition, we can never shy away from the immensely devastating consequences of war on individuals and society at large. We therefore nominated the following three films:
China Blue by Micha X. Peled Weisse Raben- Alptraum Tschetschenien by Johann Feindt & Tamara Trampe Why We Fight by Eugene Jarecki
The intense, convincing and committed approach of the filmmaker sheds light on the atrocities of war, not only on the battlefield, but in the destroyed souls of young soldiers and their families. For this reason, the jury wants to award a Special Mention to Weisse Raben- Alptraum Tschetschenien by Johann Feindt & Tamara Trampe.
For the touching and personal treatment of a global human rights issue, one that effects not only the subjects in the film, but the millions who will view this film as well. For raising important questions that we believe will give many people the ability to respond in an appropriate manner. For drawing us into this story with unprecedented access to the world of a sweatshop in China, the Amnesty International-DOEN Award goes to China Blue by Micha X. Peled.
The award consists of a prize of € 5.000,- and additional support in distribution from Amnesty International and the DOEN foundation as well as a piece of art by Mariska Freriks.
We received the news regarding Beyond Reasonable Doubt by Mina Vidakovic with great joy that it will participate in the Amnesty International Film Festival in 2006. We see the possible broadcast on Dutch television critically important as the jury believes there is a moral obligation to continue to give attention to the Srebrenica. Not only because the huge loss of life but also as the trial of Milosevic continues and perhaps more importantly given that the key perpetrators Mladic and Karadzic have not yet been arrested and brought to trial.
Hans van Mierlo (chairman)
Victoria Bruce
Rehad Desai
Eleven documentaries were eligable for the Amnesty International-DOEN Award at IDFA 2005.
Hans van Mierlo (chairman) Hans van Mierlo (Netherlands, 1931) is a Dutch politician and Minister of State. Following his study of law in Nijmegen and a journalistic career with the Algemeen Handelsblad (General Trade Journal), he was the main founder of the democratic party D’66. Van Mierlo was chairman of this party during several periods of time. In all he was a member of the Lower House for eighteen years and member of the Upper Chamber for three years. In the early eighties he was Minister of Defence for well over a year and from 1994 until 1998 vice-premier and Minister of Foreign Affairs. Van Mierlo held and holds positions on a number of boards of mainly literary and cultural organisations.
Victoria Bruce Victoria Bruce (United States, 1966) is a journalist, author and filmmaker. For her film The Kidnapping of Ingrid Betancourt (United States, 2003), which she produced and directed with Karin Hayes, she received the prestigious duPont-Columbia University Award and a special mention from the Amnesty International-Doen Award-jury during IDFA 2003. In that same year she co-produced the documentary Held Hostage in Colombia. She is currently working on a film about Civil Rights during the last half-century in Annapolis, Maryland, a small U.S. town.
Rehad Desai Rehad Desai (South Africa, 1963) is a director and producer of engaged documentaries and executive director of the 3 Continents Human Rights Film Festival. Rehad is the son of human rights activist Barney Desai. Last year, IDFA screened his film about their father-son relationship, Born Into Struggle. Rehad Desai grew up as a political exile in the U.K. He returned to South Africa in 1990, where he completed a masters degree in Social History and worked as a TV journalist. Desai is chairman of the South African United Producers Initiative.
Hans van Mierlo (Netherlands, 1931) is a Dutch politician and Minister of State. Following his study of law in Nijmegen and a journalistic career with the Algemeen Handelsblad (General Trade Journal), he was the main founder of the democratic party D’66. Van Mierlo was chairman of this party during several periods of time. In all he was a member of the Lower House for eighteen years and member of the Upper Chamber for three years. In the early eighties he was Minister of Defence for well over a year and from 1994 until 1998 vice-premier and Minister of Foreign Affairs. Van Mierlo held and holds positions on a number of boards of mainly literary and cultural organisations.
Victoria Bruce (United States, 1966) is a journalist, author and filmmaker. For her film The Kidnapping of Ingrid Betancourt (United States, 2003), which she produced and directed with Karin Hayes, she received the prestigious duPont-Columbia University Award and a special mention from the Amnesty International-Doen Award-jury during IDFA 2003. In that same year she co-produced the documentary Held Hostage in Colombia. She is currently working on a film about Civil Rights during the last half-century in Annapolis, Maryland, a small U.S. town.
Rehad Desai (South Africa, 1963) is a director and producer of engaged documentaries and executive director of the 3 Continents Human Rights Film Festival. Rehad is the son of human rights activist Barney Desai. Last year, IDFA screened his film about their father-son relationship, Born Into Struggle. Rehad Desai grew up as a political exile in the U.K. He returned to South Africa in 1990, where he completed a masters degree in Social History and worked as a TV journalist. Desai is chairman of the South African United Producers Initiative.