November 19, 2003 Features e¢ theother press © Censorship at Amnesty International Film Festival Macdonald Stainsby OP Contributor From Thursday, November 6 until Sunday, November 9, Amnesty International held their annual film festi- val on Human Rights. The listings con- sisted of much of the usual fare for AI: Amnesty International for a series of con- tradictory reasons after it had already been booked and listed in all of the AI pro- grams. A controversy immediately ensued, and it was Venezuelans supporting the film who first noticed that the very people from Venezuela the film exposed as human rights violators had launched a global campaign against the film. Don Wright, local region (BC/Yukon) coordi- nator of AI, was interviewed on Democracy Now, a radio program in New York run on the Station Pacifica. The arguments given were: “...when we choose films we strive to choose films that are nonpartisan and nonpolitical to reflect the mandate of our organization.” That is a rather bizarre statement, to say the least, for an organization dealing with human rights, and coming from a film festival that included topics such as a suc- cessful coup in Chile and discussions of Israeli nuclear programs. Perhaps nuclear weapons in the Middle East and military coups in South America aren't political and failed coups in South America are? I guess I’m missing something here. And nonpartisan? Well, I guess the Chinese government will be invited to talk about why it maintains sovereignty over Tibet next year. No doubt we need balance here. What also seems very disturbing is Don Wright’s comment: “I think I needed to clarify that the decision to include the film and then to not include the film was very much a local decision.” This is news to The film documents the events of the two-day coup in Venezuela. The Irish Film Boardhad been in the parliament buildings making a separate documentary when the coup attempt happened, and they simply kept filming. films on Tibet and Burma, Pinochet's 1973 coup in Chile, the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, and even a film on Israel's secret nuclear weapons program. The festival had one other film, sched- uled to be shown last. This film had been broadcast on the CBC’s Passionate Eye program twice. It had won more awards than any other film on the list of films to be put on screen at the film festival. It has been shown across Europe, including on the BBC. It was removed two days before the festival, and AI still hasn’t clarified why, nor who convinced them to do this. The film, The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, was banned from the festival by Derrick O’Keefe, Peter Lypkie, and me. We were all told directly by Don Wright that he would lose his job if he showed the film. Amnesty International Canada would fire someone for showing a movie? That sounds like a pretty dangerous film. Many people attending the festival were told that Amnesty Canada (in Ottawa) had ordered the film pulled. I doubt we'll ever know which of these stories to believe. The first stories were that the film was not about human rights, and that to show this film—I remind you it’s been on the CBC and the BBC as well as else- where—would create further ruptures in Venezuela, possibly leading to more vio- lence. If this sounds just a tad far-fetched, it should. Censorship begets lying, which begets more lying to justify the censor- ship, and on and on. A few others and I ran a petition and information campaign out in front of the film festival every night the festival ran. Al’s supporters believe they are working to ensure an end to censorship, and they also don't expect their organization to cave into outside pressures like this, especially from human rights violators. I am not exaggerating when I say that 90 percent were supportive and concerned, and 75 percent of those in the line-ups—over 300 people so far—have personally signed the petition demanding that AI reinstate the film. Well, AI didn’t reinstate the film, but you can still sign anoth- er petition online in support of public view- ings and screenings at. Then do what’s even important—see the film for yourself and make up your own mind. As a response to the ban, some good people took a genera- tor and a TV and VCR down to the Pacific Cinémathéque to show the film outside in front of the theatre. Not a sin- gle riot broke out in Caracas. A half an hour after the movie was supposed to be shown (8:25pm, to be exact) we put it on for viewing at the Dogwood Centre in East Vancouver. We filled all but three chairs and raised over a hundred dollars to keep presenting the movie, to make copies, and to make certain that everyone has the chance to see it, no matter what AI or violent, anti-government Venezuelans try to do. The film documents the events of the two-day coup in Venezuela. The Irish Film Board had been in the parliament buildings making a separate documentary when the coup attempt happened, and they simply kept filming. The documen- tary shows events of the months leading up to the coup, educating viewers about the struggle over democracy in the coun- try. Hugo Chavez, the elected president of the country, has embarked on a dual cam- paign of democracy and social justice by holding referendums, democratizing the supreme court and the national assembly, and now mildly redistributing wealth in a country with massive oil reserves—yet a majority of the people are living in absolute poverty and illiteracy. The “revolution” (as it styles itself) has begun providing healthcare to the rural and traditionally neglected regions of Venezuela while simultaneously empower- ing people through vast education cam- paigns as to the rights and duties of the citizen under the hyper-democratic provi- sions of the new constitution (itself writ- more http://www.otherpress.ca «© Page 13 Amnesty International Canada would fire someone for showing a movie? ten in consultation with the entire popu- lation). The government has earned the wrath of the traditional ruling elites who have much to lose if the population is able to emancipate itself. The CIA then helped work with the “opposition” (traditional ruling elites) to foment a military coup last April 2002. The extraordinary events of the coup, including the mass uprising of the people against it, are all documented from the inside out. The Venezuelan media are, in what Al originally described as the “world’s first media coup,” shown to be more than mere supporters of the coup. They blacked out the pro-Chavez demonstra- tions by decree, asked the popula- tion to help overthrow the govern- ment, and were even thanked at great length individually during the brief time of the dictatorship! The one channel that the government controls, channel 8, had its signal cut during the coup. The coupistas even tried to use the media to say they still had power long after power and the military had been returned to civilian and constitutional rule. The film is nothing short of extraordi- nary, as many awards demonstrate, for it shows Venezuelans refusing to have their democracy stolen by the wealthy and for- merly powerful few. But don't take my word for it. Go see for yourself. The film will be shown again November 28 at SFU Harbour Centre downtown (Fletcher Challenge Theatre) at 6:30pm. You have the right to see this film and make up your own mind. After Amnesty International caved into the ominous pressures of those sympathetic to the coup, we need to see this movie more than ever. The only way to deal with this kind of censorship imposed from above on a group that seems to have lost its spine is to learn what they don’t want you to know, and to see what you are not supposed to see. The same people who plotted the first coup are still trying to unseat the presi- dent. History is far from over. Be a rebel: see the film that Amnesty censored. Contact AI Canada and demand they include the film in this trav- elling festival: — 1.800.AMNESTY (266.3789); email: pro@amnesty.ca. We are connected with no group, but are concerned about ongoing events in Venezuela. This is not a film to be missed. Macdonald Stainsby is a freelance writer and social justice activist.