Wednesday, November 15

Arrested (Again)

7:05 p.m. | Documentary Short Film | United States (NY)
Directed by Dan Goldes

Activist Karen Topakian has been arrested dozens of times for using nonviolent civil disobedience to protest nuclear proliferation, human rights abuses, environmental issues, and war. What drives her to repeatedly put her body on the line?

In turn lighthearted and moving, Karen’s story speaks to the need for Americans, now more than ever, to exercise this important First Amendment right.

Karen is the Chair of the Board of Directors of Greenpeace, Inc. She began protesting in New York City and her native Rhode Island as well as the greater New England area, and now lives in San Francisco, with her wife, Peg Stevenson.

Limit

7:10 p.m. | Narrative Short Film | Islamic Republic of Iran
Directed by Javad Daraei

Someone in a quiet area asked help from the people who he sees till someone enters the house and suddenly…

Brooklyn Love Tales

7:17 p.m. | Documentary Short Film | United States (NY)
Directed by Anthony Di Salvo

A personal glimpse into the lives of three unique married couples with developmental disabilities, living in Brooklyn, NY: The Shapiros, the Moores and the Freilichs.

The Invisible War on Blood

7:29 p.m. | Student Filmmaker | United States (MN)
Directed by Ishwari Rajak

When women and girls do not have the same opportunities as men and boys to participate in life and at times their lives are threatened simply because they menstruate, menstruation right becomes a human right issue. Menstruation right is a human right issue not only in developing nations but also in developed nation like America.

Shala

7:38 p.m. | Narrative Short Film | Brazil
Directed by João Inácio

Shala is the story about Pedro, a young boy living in an orphanage in Amazon who has a hard time being adopted because of several prejudices, which includes the cruel indifference of adoptive parents towards children in his age group. The boy creates situations to draw the attention of adoptive parents, while at the same time creating an imaginary friendship with his only toy, a doll named “Shala.”

Le Diable est dans les détails

(The Devil is in the Details)

7:48 p.m. | Narrative Short Film | France
Directed by Fabien Gorgeart

1859. Alexina, a trainee school teacher in the young girl’s covent where she grew up, suffers from unbearables pains. After examination, the doctor finds out she is a hermaphrodite.

According to him, since masculine prevails over all, Alexina is a man. She has no other choice than leaving her school as quickly as possible, giving up, her closest friend, Henriette.

Sisak

8:19 p.m. | Narrative Short Film | India (Mumbai)
Directed by Faraz Ansari

A first-of-its-kind silent LGBTQ film in India, Sisak makes waves before the visuals of this short hit the shore. Set in the fast-paced environs of the usually bustling Mumbai local train system, it details a romance that develops slowly and intoxicatingly, nestled in the silences and quiet comforts of the end-of-day train journeys.

Our two characters, A and Z, are as poles apart as their locations in the alphabet. A finds his nose stuck in Haruki Murakami’s works, Z finds himself tired after long work days. A is kurtas and kolhapuri chappals, Z is leather shoes and neatly pressed formals. But where they meet is the world of dreams — unarticulated, yet whole in clarity.

Oscar Arias: Without A Shot Fired

Opening Night Feature

8:33 p.m. | Documentary Feature Film | United States (CO)
Directed by Dawn Engle

This is the story of a tiny country that made a decision to do something that no other country had ever done — it decided to abolish its army and declare peace to the world.

The story of one man trying to stop the proliferation of weapons, worldwide – former president of Costa Rica and 1987 Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Oscar Sanchez Arias.

How to Access Human Rights in North Dakota & Minnesota

9:33 p.m. | Panel Discussion

Join a group of non-profit and community based organizations for a disccusion of how to access your human rights in North Dakota and Minnesota. Organizations will discuss their work and protections, and identify how individuals can access their services.

Moderated by: Rep. Joshua Boschee
Panelist (may be subject to change): Jennifer Cook of the North Dakota Chapter of the ACLU; Dave Lanpher of The Fargo Human Relations Commission; Kevin Lindsey of the Minnesota Department of Human Rights; Michelle Kommer, North Dakota Department of Labor and Human Rights; Barry Nelson of the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition; and Michelle Rydz of the High Plains Fair Housing Center.